ANSWER:

It is mandatory to pray when you enter the masjid if you want to sit down. It can be a voluntary prayer or even fard.

There’s no separate prayer called Tahiyatul Masjid, it’s just a name given by scholars. As for the hadeeth of the Bedouin, this can be looked at as talking about the pillars of Islam or that this particular prayer of honoring the masjid was not yet obligated. The same can go for funeral, eclipse, Friday and many other prayers. 

Sheikh, I wanted to ask that the prayer of honoring the masjid or Tahiyat-Ul-Masjid is a command from the Prophet (Saww) but we also have a hadith in which a bedoin came and asked about islam, so the Prophet (Saww) told him about the obligatory acts such as obligatory 5 prayers. Is the Tahiyat-Ul-Masjid recommended or mandatory (compulsory) ?

Prayer | October 4, 2020 7:25 pm
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Sometimes after finishing praying with the Salam I raise my hands & make Dua to Allah in my language (since I can’t speak Arabic). I know that dua should be said while still in the prayer but I struggle with memorizing long Arabic Duas & feared of making my prayers invalid if I say it in my language. Is that allowed? I don’t do it routinely & dont do it in congregation.