There is wisdom in saying, “O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy,” when entering, and, “O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty,” when leaving. It has been said that this may be because one who enters is seeking the Hereafter, and mercy is what he most particularly seeks, whereas one who leaves is seeking his livelihood in this world, which is what is meant by bounty. This is indicated by the words of Allah Most High: “When the prayer is concluded, disperse throughout the land and seek of Allah’s bounty” 1. It has also been said that when a person enters the mosque, he occupies himself with that which draws him nearer to Allah and enables him to attain His reward and Paradise, so it is fitting to mention mercy. When he leaves the mosque, he disperses throughout the land in pursuit of Allah’s bounty, seeking wholesome and lawful provision, so it is fitting to mention bounty2. And Allah knows best.

The preceding texts demonstrate the importance of seeking refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed, and turning to Allah—the Mighty and Majestic—for protection from him, both when entering and when leaving the mosque. Upon entering, one should say, as in the aforementioned hadith of Abdullāh ibn Amr: “I seek refuge in Allah the Magnificent, in His noble countenance, and in His eternal dominion from Satan, the accursed.” When a servant says this, Satan says, “He has been protected from me for the rest of the day”—that is, the whole day.

Upon leaving, one should say, as in the aforementioned hadith of Abū Hurayra: “O Allah, protect me from Satan.”

There is no doubt that Satan is exceedingly intent upon a person as he enters the mosque: he seeks to turn him away from his prayer, deprive him of its goodness, and diminish his share of the mercy attained through it. He is likewise exceedingly intent upon a person as he leaves the mosque, seeking to lead him to places where the forbidden is committed and cause him to fall into situations that arouse suspicion. It is authentically reported in