Manners at the mosque: calm, cleanliness and respect for others
Three hadiths on joining prayer calmly, avoiding unpleasant odours and caring for the mosque’s cleanliness.
Arriving at the mosque also affects those already there: running through the entrance, a lingering odour or rubbish left behind can disturb them. Hadiths give precise guidance for these ordinary situations.
They ask us to join prayer calmly, consider the smell we bring and recognise the work of those who clean the premises.
Article contents
Walking calmly to join the prayer
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah reports the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ to those who hear the iqamah, the announcement that prayer is beginning. Even at this moment, when they may fear arriving late, he asks them to walk calmly.“When you hear the iqamah, walk to prayer with calm and dignity, without rushing. Pray what you catch and complete what you missed.”
Read the Arabic text
إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الإِقَامَةَ فَامْشُوا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ، وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالسَّكِينَةِ وَالْوَقَارِ وَلاَ تُسْرِعُوا، فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا
Understanding this hadith
If part of the prayer has already been performed, walk calmly, join the congregation and complete what you missed. Being late does not change the instruction not to run.
On arrival, keep a calm walking pace instead of pushing someone or racing through the entrance. Allowing a few minutes to put your belongings away and reach the hall helps avoid that moment of panic. If you are already late, the instruction remains the same.
Also silence your phone before entering so its ringtone does not interrupt others’ prayer. This practical suggestion concerns a modern device; the quoted hadith concerns walking to prayer.
Also read: organising your day around prayer times.
Avoiding odours that disturb those praying
The context of the narration
Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reports the following instruction about garlic and onions. The same account relates that a dish of strongly scented vegetables was brought to the Prophet ﷺ. He had it given to a companion; seeing him hesitate, he invited him to eat and explained that he conversed with someone with whom the companion did not converse.“Let whoever has eaten garlic or onions keep away from us, or from our mosque, and remain at home.”
Read the Arabic text
مَنْ أَكَلَ ثُومًا أَوْ بَصَلاً فَلْيَعْتَزِلْنَا أَوْ لِيَعْتَزِلْ مَسْجِدَنَا وَلْيَقْعُدْ فِي بَيْتِهِ
Understanding this hadith
The account distinguishes the food from the discomfort its smell causes in a gathering. The Prophet ﷺ allows the companion to eat the dish; he does not make garlic or onions forbidden foods. The instruction concerns their effect when joining others in the mosque.
If you are about to pray in a group, plan your meal with lingering odours in mind. The cleanliness of your body and clothes also affects the people near you in the rows. Adding a very strong perfume does not necessarily remove the discomfort.
This passage invites everyone to take care in preparing. It does not give a worshipper a reason to publicly humiliate someone whose situation they do not know.
Also read: preparing for Friday without disturbing worshippers.
Recognising the service of those who clean the mosque
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah relates that a Black person used to clean the mosque. The transmission expresses uncertainty about whether this was a man or a woman. After the person’s death, the Prophet ﷺ asked about them; when told of their death, he asked why he had not been informed.““Why did you not inform me? Show me their grave.” He then went to the grave and offered the funeral prayer for that person.”
Read the Arabic text
أَفَلاَ كُنْتُمْ آذَنْتُمُونِي بِهِ دُلُّونِي عَلَى قَبْرِهِ ـ أَوْ قَالَ قَبْرِهَا ـ فَأَتَى قَبْرَهُ فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ
Understanding this hadith
The account names the service provided: cleaning the mosque. The Prophet ﷺ notices this person’s absence and makes a point of praying for them.
Putting away what you used, disposing of tissues and leaving walkways clean avoid shifting all the cleaning onto a few volunteers. If you would like to help more, ask those responsible what would be useful and when to do it.
Greet and thank those who clean. After an activity, collect your rubbish and ask whether equipment needs putting away, so the next group does not have to do it for you.
In practice
- You hear the iqamah as you arriveKeep walking calmly; join the prayer, then complete what you missed.Read the instruction on arriving for prayer
- You are preparing to comeConsider lingering odours from food, your body and your clothes.Read the account of the vegetable dish
- You are leaving the prayer hallTake your rubbish with you and put away what you used.Read the account of the person who cleaned
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 636Walking calmly to join the prayer
- Sahih Muslim · 564bAvoiding odours that disturb those praying
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 458Recognising the service of those who clean the mosque