6/11. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 714b — Do Not Sit Before Two Rak'ahs
It is recommended to greet the masjid by praying two rak`ah, and it is disliked to sit before praying these two rak`ah, and this is prescribed at all times
Hadith About Not Sitting Before Two Rak'ahs in the Mosque
Sahih Muslim : 714b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 714b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ زَائِدَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ خَلْدَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، صَاحِبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَالِسٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ النَّاسِ - قَالَ - فَجَلَسْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَجْلِسَ " . قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رَأَيْتُكَ جَالِسًا وَالنَّاسُ جُلُوسٌ . قَالَ " فَإِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلاَ يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى يَرْكَعَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ " .
Abu Qatadah Narrated from:
Abu Qatada, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said: I entered the mosque, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had been sitting among people, and I also sat down among them. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: What prevented you from offering two rak'ahs (of Nafl prayer) before sitting down? I said: Messenger of Allah, I saw you sitting and people sitting (around you and I, therefore, sat in your company). He (the Holy Prophet) then said: When anyone among you enters the mosque, he should not sit till he has observed two rak'ahs.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 714bIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 85USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1541
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 714b
This Hadith explains Tahiyyat al-Masjid through a real moment. Abu Qatada entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was sitting among the people, so he sat down too. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked what stopped him from praying two rak'ahs before sitting. Abu Qatada replied that he saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the people sitting, so he sat with them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then taught the rule plainly: when anyone enters the mosque, he should not sit until he has prayed two rak'ahs. The wording is warm and practical. It shows that even when respected people are sitting, the instruction to pray two rak'ahs before sitting still stands in this report.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected Abu Qatada after he sat without praying two rak'ahs.
- Seeing others sitting was not treated as a reason to leave this prayer.
- The instruction is tied to entering the mosque before sitting.
- The Hadith shows direct teaching through a real event.
