Question:
Is Tahiyyatul Masjid permissible after the Asr prayer and the Fajr prayer in any mosque ,or is it only allowed in the two Holy Mosques at the times when prayer is prohibited , not in other mosque ?
Answer :
The most correct view among the sayings of the scholars is that when a person enters the Masjid even if it be a time when prayer is prohibited he should pray Tahiyyatul Masjid in accordance with the general meaning of the Hadeeth of the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi was sallam) in which he said : If any of you enters the masjid ,he should not sit until he has prayed two Rak’ahs.(Bukharee and Muslim).
And the Hadeeths which prohibit prayer at the time of sunrise ,sunset,when it is at it’s meridian ,after Asr and after Maghrib must be understood to refer to general supererogatory prayers, not to obligatory prayers or those non obligatory prayers for which there is a reason, such as Tahiyyatul Masjid and the two Rak’ahs of Tawaf, both of which are prayed after Asr and after Fajr and at all other times when prayer is normally prohibited .
Answered by :
The Permanent Committee
Fatawaa Islaamiyah vol.1 pg.288