of the worlds—just as ʿĀʾishah (Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Prophet ﷺ would remember Allah at every moment.”

2. It is unlawful for anyone in a state of major impurity—whether from seminal emission, menstruation, or post-partum bleeding—to remain in the mosque without first performing ablution. The evidence is Allah’s statement: “O you who believe, do not approach the prayer while you are intoxicated until you understand what you say, nor in a state of major impurity—unless you are merely passing through—until you have bathed” (Q 4:43). In other words: do not enter the mosque with the intention of staying there. The same ruling is confirmed by his ﷺ words, “I do not allow the mosque to a menstruating woman nor to one in major impurity,” narrated by Abū Dāwūd from ʿĀʾishah and graded sound by Ibn Khuzaymah.

If a person in major impurity performs ablution, he may then stay in the mosque, for ʿAṭāʾ said: “I saw men among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sitting in the mosque while they were in major impurity, once they had performed the ablution required for prayer.” The purpose of this ablution is to lessen the state of impurity.

Likewise, someone in major impurity may pass through the mosque—without sitting—purely to traverse it, because of the phrase, “except those merely passing through” (Q 4:43); that is, those who are simply crossing it to exit. This Qurʾanic exception signifies permission and therefore qualifies the general wording of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement, “I do not allow the mosque to a menstruating woman or to one in major impurity.”