Greeting the Mosque in the Mihraab

12-11-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it Makruh to perform Tahyat al-Masjid (greeting the mosque) towards the middle of the Mihrab (the place where Imam leads the prayers)?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm in performing an optional prayer in front of al-Mihraab. But, according to the Maaliki scholars, it is disliked for an Imaam to perform an optional prayer inside al-Mihraab.

Ad-Dassooqi may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “Maalik said: 'An Imam should not perform an optional prayer in the place from which he leads an obligatory prayer (i.e. al-Mihraab), but this is permitted for the one who prays alone or is led in prayer.'”

Allah knows best.

www.islamweb.net