Question

 Is there any Hadith with reference as to how to enter and leave the masjid?

 

Answer

Imam Nawawi (rahimahullah) states in Al Adhkar:

‘It is Mustahab to recite the following:

أَعُوْذُ باللهِ الْعَظِيْمِ، وَبِوَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيْمِ، وسُلْطَانِهِ الْقَدِيْمِ، مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ، الحَمْد لِلَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ صلَّى وسلَّم عَلَى مُحَمََّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ؛ اللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوْبِيْ، وافْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ

A’uzu billahil ‘azim wa bi wajhihil karim wa sultanihil qadim minash shaytanir rajim, Alhamdulillah, Allahumma salli wa sallim ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad, Allahummagh fir li dhunubi waf tah li abwaba rahmatik

Then a person should say ‘Bismillah’ and enter with his right foot.

When exiting, A person should exit with the left foot and read the same du’a. However at the end of the du’a one should read ‘abwaba fadhlik’ instead of ‘abwaba rahmatik’

(Al Adhkar, Chapter: 20, before Hadith: 86)

The above formation of the du’a is a collection of a few narrations.

(Refer: Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1649, Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 465 and Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 772)

Note: Some Hadith references mention the du’a with slight variations.

Imam Hakim (rahimahullah) has recorded a narration in his Al Mustadrak which proves entering the Masjid with the right foot and exiting with the left foot.

(Al Mustadrak, Vol. 1 pg. 218. Also refer: Sahih Bukhari and Fathul Bari, Hadith: 426)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

 

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar