Tahiyyatul Masjid even during the khutbah?

by Asma bint Shameem

QUESTION

Sometimes we get to the masjid a little late for Jumu'ah and the khutbah has already started.

In this situation, should we still pray tahiyyatul masjid or should we just sit down and listen to the khutbah?

ANSWER

Athough listening to the khutbah is really important, we should still pray two rak’aat of Tahiyyatul-Masjid before we sit down, but we should make them short and quick. 

That's the instructions of the Prophet ﷺ.

 📌 PROOF:

🍃Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah radhi Allaahu anhu said that Sulaik al-Ghatfani radhi Allaahu anhu came to the masjid on Friday while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Khutbah. 

The Prophet ﷺ inquired of him: 

"Did you offer the Salaah?" 

He said: 'No'. 

He told him: 

"Pray two Raka'h and make them quick". 

And then he said: 

"If one of you comes to the masjid on the day of Jumu'ah and Imaam is delivering the Khutbah, he should pray two Rak’aat and make them quick." 

(Saheeh Muslim 3/1415)

🍃 And he ﷺ said:

“When any one of you enters the masjid, then let him not sit until he prays two rak’ahs.”

(al-Bukhaari 1/293 and Muslim 2/155)

So the instructions of the Prophet ﷺ are pretty clear.

We must read tahiyyatul masjid even during the Khutbah.

That’s what the Prophet ﷺ said.

🍃 Shaikh ibn Baaz said about praying Tahiyyatul masjid during the Khutbah:

“The Sunnah upon entering the masjid is to pray two rak’ahs of Tahiyyatul masjid even if the Imaam is delivering the Friday khutbah, due to the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ  

“When anyone of you enters the masjid, then let him not sit until he prays two rak’ahs.” (al-Bukhaari 1/293 and Muslim 2/155)

Likewise Muslim relates in his Saheeh (3/1415), from Jaabir radhi Allaahu anhu that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“When any of you comes on the day of Jumu’ah (Friday), and the Imaam is delivering the khutbah, then let him pray two rak’ahs and let him make them short.”

So this is a clear and authentic text concerning this issue. 

It is not permissible for anyone to oppose it. 

So perhaps this particular narration did not reach Imaam Maalik rahimahullaah, if it is established from him that he prohibited the praying of these two rak’ahs at the time of the khutbah. 

However, when the authentic Sunnah becomes clear, then it is not permissible to oppose it with the saying of anyone else – whosoever he may be.” 

(Majmoo’ Al-Fataawaa 1/53)

And Allaah knows best.