one of the Ansar scraped it off and put some khulūq (a pleasant fragrance) on the spot. The Prophet ﷺ then said, “How excellent this is!”

4 – It can therefore be said that spitting in a mosque is, in principle, a sin. An exception is made for the worshiper while he is actually praying, for he is restrained from movement. For anyone else who spits in the mosque while not in prayer, the original prohibition stands: it is sinful, and the liability is removed only by burying the spit. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ scraped the phlegm from the wall, together with the flow of the narration, makes it clear that the license applies solely to the person praying, provided he spits beneath his left foot, whether he is in a mosque or elsewhere. This is apparent, and Allah knows best.

5 – Great care, cleanliness, and respect are due to the mosques. Allah the Exalted says, “Purify My House…” (al-Hajj 22:26) and He says, “In houses that Allah has allowed to be raised…” (al-Nūr 24:36). ʿĀʾishah stated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered that mosques be built within the neighborhoods and that they be cleaned and perfumed.”