Dua Upon entering the mosque

A mosque (Masjid) is a sacred place, meant for the performance of prayer (Salah). It is a place where Muslims gather five times a day to perform one of the most important acts of worship, collectively, under the leadership of an Imam". Hence, it holds a significant status in Islam.

Islam teaches us to relate every action and task with the remembrance of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. Doing so converts all such actions and tasks into worship. Likewise, the Islamic teachings also prescribe a specific Dua to recite when you enter a mosque.

When a Muslim enters a mosque, it is best to recite the dua upon entering the mosque. Man is inherently weak and dependent on the blessings of  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Reciting the dua given below is an effective and easy way of gaining the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and thereby helping oneself to stay on the true path.

The dua to be recited upon entering the mosque is a sunnah and has been verified by multiple hadiths. A hadith by Sahih Muslim (713 a) states that the person who recites the dua for entering the mosque regularly their sins will be forgiven, and they will be the recipient of the everlasting and limitless mercy of  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The same has been reported in (Sunan Ibn Majah 771), Abu Humaid As-Sa'idi (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in (Sunan Ibn Majah 772) and by Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in (Sunan Ibn Majah 773).

The dua upon entering the mosque wipes away the sins of the reciter and is an excellent way of asking  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for his mercy (Sunan an-Nasa'i 729). The gates of mercy are opened for the person who recites the dua upon entering the mosque (Sunan Abi Dawud 465).

Hisnul Muslim

Upon entering the mosque

Prayer Duas

1
أَعوذُ بِاللّهِ العَظِيـمِ، وَبِوَجْهِـهِ الكَرِيـمِ وَسُلْطـَانِه القَدِيـمِ، مِنَ الشَّيْـطَانِ الرَّجِـيمِ، بِسْـمِ اللّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللّهِ، اَللَّهُـمَّ افْتَـحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتـِكَ

'A'oothu billaahil-'Adheem, wa bi-Wajhihil-Kareem, wa Sultaanihil-qadeem, minash-Shaytaanir-rajeem. Bismillaahi, wassalaatu. Wassalaamu 'alaaRasoolillaahi. Allaahum-maftah lee 'abwaaba rahmatika.

I seek refuge in Almighty Allah, by His Noble Face, by His primordial power, from Satan the outcast. In the Name of Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, open before me the doors of Your mercy.

[Hisnul 20] [Abu Dawud, Sahihul-Jami' As-Saghir (Hadith no. 4591), Ibn As-Sunni (Hadith no. 88), Abu Dawud 1/126, Sahihul-Jami' 1/528, Muslim 1/494, Ibn Majah 1/128-129.]

للَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ 

Transliteration - Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatika

Translation - O Allah! open for me the doors of Thy mercy

Dua for Entering Masjid

The following is the most authentic Dua for entering Masjid, as recommended by the majority of the scholars and is also mentioned in Hadith 713a of Sahih Muslim.

اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ - O Allah! open for me the doors of Thy mercy

The Etiquettes of Reciting Dua Upon Entering the Mosque


Upon entering the mosque, the dua should be recited while placing one's right foot inside the mosque first. Islamic customs demand that a person must start a good deed by their right hand or foot. The same is verified by the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad( ﷺ ) and his companions. Secondly, the dua should be recited with utmost sincerity with full hope of receiving the blessings and mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and one's sins being forgiven.

Accordingly, the manners (etiquettes) of reciting Dua when entering the Mosque (Masjid) are summarized as follows:

  • Enter the Masjid with the Right Foot – As a matter of basic Islamic teachings, Muslims are required to start a good (right) action while putting the right foot ahead, first. It is also a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ to use the right side for the performance of the honorable actions. Hence, it is highly recommended to enter the mosque with the right foot, as a gesture of respect and reverence for the Masjid, as well as following the Sunnah of the Prophet.
  • Recite the Dua Upon Entering the Masjid – Once you are in the masjid, the first thing is to recite the specific Dua (اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ).
  • Send Durood Upon the Prophet – It is also a recommended act to send Durood upon the Prophet, either before or after reciting the Dua (اللَّهُمَّ صل عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ), (Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad). It is considered a good practice to send durood on the Prophet before or after reciting any Dua (Supplication).
  • Pray Two Rak’ahs of “Tahiyyat al-Masjid” – It is also a Sunnah and highly recommended act in Hadith, to pray two Rak’ahs Nafl when entering the mosque, before sitting down, as mentioned in Hadith 714a of Sahih Muslim (When any one of you enters the mosque, he should observe two rak'ahs (of Nafl prayer) before sitting).
  • Maintain Respect and Silence When Inside the Mosque – Since the Mosque is a place of worship, specifically meant to perform Prayer (Salah) in congregation, it is strongly recommended to avoid unnecessary and loud chatting. Instead, spend the time in the remembrance of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ.  

Spiritual Significance of Reciting the Dua Upon Entering the Mosque

  • The Dua (اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ) is a request to Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, seeking His Mercy. The Masjid, being a place of worship, is believed to be blessed abundantly with the Mercy of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. Reciting this Dua may bring lots of Mercy and Blessings for us.
  • When we recite this specific Dua on entering the Masjid (Mosque), practically we divert our focus towards Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, which helps us converge our minds and hearts entirely on worship, leaving behind the worldly matters. This brings spiritual devotion in us.
  • Reciting this specific Dua with sincerity and consciously, we, in fact, renew our intention to get spiritually connected with Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ.  

IMPORTANT

When entering the Mosque, make sure:

  • To recite the specific Dua.
  • Avoid talking unnecessarily.
  • Avoid using mobile phones.
  • Maintain the respect and reverence of the Mosque.

Benefits Of Reciting Dua Upon Entering the Mosque

Reciting the dua upon entering the mosque is a simple act, yet carries a great reward – Allah has promised to erase the sins of the person who recites this dua. In addition, the person becomes entitled to the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and the gates of mercy are opened for him. The dua is also a great way of increasing one's good deeds and, at the same time, reminding oneself of the love of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for His creation.
 

FAQs:

According to Sunnah and Hadith, one should recite the dua upon entering the mosque while placing one's right foot first inside.
One's sins are forgiven, his good deeds increase in number, and the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is showered upon him.
It is not fardh to recite the dua upon entering the mosque; therefore, there is no penalty if one does not recite it. However, it is Sunnah to recite this dua; thus, it is mustahab (prefereable) for a Muslim to recite it when entering the mosque.

Technically, there is no harm in offering a Dua in your own language. However, the best and strongly recommended practice is to recite the Dua upon entering the Mosque in Arabic. It is a short Dua. Try to memorize it and make a habit of reciting it when entering the Mosque.

Since it is not an obligatory act to recite this Dua on entering the Mosque, there is no sin if you forgot to recite it. However, you need to make it a habit to recite this Dua invariably on entering the Mosque, as it is a highly emphasized Sunnah practice.

The best and strongly recommended practice is to recite this Dua silently. However, if one recites it in a loud voice, there is no sin, but it may be a disgraceful act, considering the sanctity and respect of the Mosque. That's why you should avoid reciting it loudly.