Is it permissible to greet inside the mosque or not? Is it not a sin?

Question

Today I’m in with some friends and we are talking about some Islamic principals, and there one of my friend tell me that greeting with every one ( slaam,handshaking ) insides the mosque is not permissible,I’m wondered for a while then I asked him that tell me the reference of this hadith or verse of Quran but he can’t. So I decided to takes help of your peoples please guide me for this daily routine matter. Thanks

Answer 1

It is permissible, even mustahab, to greet the people inside a mosque, and also to say it if there is no one else besides yourself.

فإذا دخلتم بيوتا فسلموا على أنفسكم تحية من عند الله مباركة طيبة

But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon each other - a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.

^{— Quran 24:61}

It has been narrated from some of the exegetes including Ibn Abbas, Ibrahim al-Nakhai and Mujahid ibn Jabar that بيوت (houses) here means mosques.

يحدث عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، في قوله عز وجل: {فإذا دخلتم بيوتا فسلموا على أنفسكم} [النور: 61] قال: هو المسجد

Ibn Abbas narrated about the saying of Allah: {But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon each other} [24:61] he said: It means the mosque

^{— Mustadrak al-Hakim}

There are a number of ahadith which evidence greeting inside a mosque:

أن رجلا دخل المسجد، ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جالس في ناحية المسجد، فصلى ثم جاء فسلم عليه، فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: وعليك السلام، ارجع فصل فإنك لم تصل

A man entered the mosque while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting in one side of the mosque. The man prayed, came, and greeted the Prophet. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him, "Wa 'Alaikas Salam. Go back and pray as you have not prayed (properly)."

^{— Bukhari}

Note that it is makruh to greet someone who is busy in recitation of the Quran, doing dhikr, giving adhan or iqamah, or praying etc. Although there is difference of opinion on this among the madhabs.

Answer 2

ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ

Greeting your brothers and returning their greetings is a must for for every muslim.

There are many aḥādīth that suggest that it is a duty for us to greet others, for example this one:

Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Which act in Islam is the best?" He (ﷺ) replied, "To give food, and to greet everyone, whether you know or you do not."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

However, one should not communicate, including greeting during the khutbah in Jumu'ah. Evidence for this is the narration:

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

When you tell (your brother on Friday) to be silent while the imam is giving the sermon you are guilty of idle talk.

Sunan Abi Dawud 1112

Furthermore, Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen confirmed with his fatwah:

It is haraam to give salaams during the Friday khutbah, so it is not permissible for one who enters the mosque whilst the imam is delivering the khutbah to give salaams, and it is also haraam to return the greeting.

For more info about communicating during the khutbah, read here.

In conclusion, you should always greet and return greetings, except during the Jumu'ah khutbah.

اَللّٰهُ أَعْلَم‎

Answer 3

Simply speaking there's no clear "yes" or "no" answer as the answer depends on the situation and also on the madhhab or fiqh views which may differ due to different interpretations of ahadith or qur'an or differences in the texts themselves (for example ahadith with an (in cases apparently) opposite content).

Generally greeting is something recommended and answering a greeting is fard (according a majority of scholars).

However it is considered as frowned upon or wrong (not allowed) to do so in certain cases (with a difference of opinion) among these cases are greeting a person while:

• the imam is holding the Friday sermon (khutba)
• this person is reciting the qur'an
• this person is calling for the prayer (adhan or iqamah)
• this person is remembering Allah (dhikr)