Question:

Salam

I heard that making the masjid a pathway is a sin. Will a person be sinful in the following two conditions

1) He enters the mosque from Gate 1. He has to visit the marketplace which is nearer to the south gate of the mosque. So he exits the mosque from the south gate after having prayed his Salah

2) He enters from gate 1 and exits from the same gate and finds that the road is clogged with filthy water. He goes back inside and exits from the other gate in order to avoid his clothes getting dirty

Will he be sinful in the above two conditions?
JazakAllah

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The Masjid is the House of Allah Ta’ala and it deserves the greatest amount of honor and reverence. The Masjid is a place of Hidayah (divine guidance) wherein the Ibadah (worship) and Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah Ta’ala takes place. To make the Masjid a mere pathway to cross over to the other side is against the sanctity of the Masjid. Hence, it is not permissible to make the Masjid a pathway, such that one enters from one door and exits through another door. However, if this is done due to a valid reason, it is permissible.[1]

Furthermore, if after performing Salah in the Masjid, one exits through another door, it is permissible as this does not constitute making the Masjid a pathway.

In the light of the above-mentioned explanation, hereunder are the answers to your queries:

1. It is permissible for the person in reference to exit from the south gate as he has performed Salah whilst in the Masjid.

2. It is permissible for the person in reference to exit from the other gate as it is due to a valid reason.

Note: The above-mentioned ruling is applicable only to the Masjid Proper and not the entire Masjid structure. The Masjid Proper is the consecrated area within the Masjid structure that is dedicated to the congregational prayers.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

(Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman

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[1]   وَلَا يَجُوزُ اتِّخَاذُ طَرِيقٍ فِيهِ لِلْمَرِّ إلَّا لِعُذْرٍ

قَوْلُهُ : وَلَا يَجُوزُ اتِّخَاذُ طَرِيقٍ فِيهِ لِلْمُرُورِ .

يَعْنِي أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ بَابَانِ فَأَكْثَرُ فَيَدْخُلُ مِنْ هَذَا وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْ هَذَا وَعَدَمُ الْجَوَازِ صَادِقٌ بِالْحَرَامِ وَبِالْكَرَاهَةِ تَحْرِيمًا وَقَدْ صَرَّحَ فِي مُنْيَةِ الْمُفْتِي بِالْكَرَاهَةِ حَيْثُ قَالَ : لَا يَمُرُّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَيَتَّخِذُهُ طَرِيقًا فَإِنْ كَانَ بِعُذْرٍ لَمْ يُكْرَهْ ( انْتَهَى ) .

وَفِي الْقُنْيَةِ مُعْتَادُ ذَلِكَ يَأْثَمُ وَيَفْسُقُ ( انْتَهَى ) . (الأشباه والنظائر مع شرح الحموي، القول فى أحكام المسجد)

(قَوْلُهُ وَاِتِّخَاذُهُ طَرِيقًا) فِي التَّعْبِيرِ بِالِاتِّخَاذِ إيمَاءٌ إلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَفْسُقُ بِمَرَّةٍ أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَلِذَا عَبَّرَ فِي الْقُنْيَةِ بِالِاعْتِيَادِ نَهْرٌ. وَفِي الْقُنْيَةِ: دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلَمَّا تَوَسَّطَهُ نَدِمَ، قِيلَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَابٍ غَيْرِ الَّذِي قَصَدَهُ، وَقِيلَ يُصَلِّي ثُمَّ يَتَخَيَّرُ فِي الْخُرُوجِ، وَقِيلَ إنْ كَانَ مُحْدِثًا يَخْرُجُ مِنْ حَيْثُ دَخَلَ إعْدَامًا لِمَا جَنَى اهـ.

(قَوْلُهُ بِغَيْرِ عُذْرٍ) فَلَوْ بِعُذْرٍ جَازَ (ردالمحتار، ج 1، ص 656، سعيد)