Some scholars said: It is disliked to pray after it, but not before it, [because what is prescribed is to depart].

Others said: It is disliked before it, but not afterwards.

Some scholars said: It is disliked for the imam, but not for the follower. This is one view reported from al-Shafi‘i—meaning, the distinction between the imam and others.

The correct view is that there is no distinction between the imam and anyone else, neither before the prayer nor afterwards; thus, there is no dislike. However, we do not say that it is sunnah for one to pray. It may be said that a person’s remaining before the prayer to proclaim the greatness of Allah is better, as a manifestation of the takbīr and of this religious rite. This concerns unrestricted voluntary prayer.

As for the mosque-greeting prayer, there is absolutely no basis for forbidding it, for the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, commanded it. Indeed, many scholars held that it is obligatory. So, if it is an emphatically confirmed sunnah, as the sunnah indicates, how can we say to someone who enters the Festival prayer-ground, “Do not pray; it is disliked for you to do so”?

If someone were to say: “The Festival prayer-ground is not a mosque, and the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, said: ‘When one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit down until he has prayed two units of prayer’” (1).

We reply: Rather, the Festival prayer-ground is a mosque. The evidence for this is that the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, commanded women to go out for the Festival prayer and commanded menstruating women to keep away from the prayer-ground (2). A woman is required to keep away only from a mosque. As for her place of prayer in her home, or a man’s place of prayer in his home, it is not forbidden for a menstruating woman to remain there