In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Is it permissible to leave the masjid once the Adhaan is made?

By Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-’Uthaymeen may Allah have mercy on him 

Question: I see some of the brothers who sit in the masjid for a lecture and when the call to prayer is made they depart. However, I read that the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited leaving the masjid once the adhaan is called. Therefore, what is the ruling of this?

Answer: In the Sahih (of Muslim) on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw a person getting out of the mosque after the call to prayer had been announced. Upon this he remarked: “This (man) disobeyed Abu’l-Qasim (the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him)” [Muslim]

The people of knowledge say that it is prohibited to leave the masjid after the call to prayer has been made – except if one has an excuse. However this hadith does not clarify if the man left the masjid in order to pray in another masjid. Perhaps he left in order to pray in another masjid.

What we see is that if one leaves a masjid in order to pray in another masjid – while knowing that he will be able to catch the prayer there – then there is no sin upon him. But one should not do this because it can lead to others seeing this action and leaving the masjid as well and not pray.

Source: Silsilah Liqaa’aat al-Baab al-Maftooh: #9

Translated by: Abu Awzaa’ee AbdusSalaam

الفقير الى الله