—by uttering that very supplication aloud and making it clear to him that he deserves it, for he has treated the mosque as a place to look for lost property and has distracted those engaged in prayer and devotion with worldly matters.

4 – The apparent sense of the report is that if he were to step outside, to the doorway of the mosque, and make his announcement there, it would not be unlawful, because the area beyond the mosque proper is not considered part of it.

5 – The ḥadith therefore defines the purpose of the mosque: it is for prayer, the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of His Book, discussion of what is good, and the like.

6 – Ibn Kathīr remarked: “The mosques are the most beloved spots on earth to Allah Most High; they are His houses wherein He is worshipped.” The Exalted has said, “In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name is remembered” (Qur’an 24:36). He has commanded that they be kept free from impurity, idle chatter, and every word and deed unbefitting their sanctity.

7 – Al-Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr (8/132) and Ibn Mājah (750) transmit, from Wā’ilah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Keep your insane people, your children, and your raised voices away from your mosques.” ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq, however, maintained that this report has no reliable basis, and Ibn Ḥajar judged all of its chains of transmission to be weak.

8 – Just as it is forbidden for the owner of a lost item to announce it in the mosque, so too is it forbidden for someone who has found such an item to search inside the mosque for its owner. This ruling is mentioned by the jurists, including the Ḥanbalīs.