Question:

If one leaves the masjid to do wudhu and then comes back, should he do the two rakahs of tahiyyatul masjid again?

Answer:

The lajnah answered a similar question:

Q 1: When a person leaves the Masjid (mosque) to perform Wudu’ (ablution) during the Khutbah (sermon) of Jumu`ah (Friday) and comes back, should he perform the supererogatory Salah (prayer) again?

A: Whoever leaves the Masjid to perform Wudu’ because he invalidated his Wudu’ then comes back, it is a Sunnah for him to offer two Rak`ahs before he sits as Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid (two-unit Prayer to salute the mosque) because he is included in the general saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): If anyone of you enters a Mosque, he should not sit until he has offered a two-Rak`ahs prayer. When he intends to offer the supererogatory Rak`ahs of Wudu’ as well as Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid, it will be sufficient because it is a Sunnah for those who perform Wudu’ to offer two Rak`ahs as supererogatory Salah for it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Bilal at Fajr (Dawn) Prayer: O Bilal, Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise.Bilal replied: I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed Wudu’ during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me. Abu `Abdullah said: (Duff Na`layk i.e. the sound of your footsteps). Related by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, vol. 2, p.48. It is permissible for one to perform any supererogatory Salah other than the times which are prohibited. The Prophet said: The (optional) Salah by night and day should consist of pairs of Rak`ahs. Related by the Five Compilers of Hadith (Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah).

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

[Reference]

Mentioned and Answered by

AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr