the prayer, while others disapproved of rushing and preferred that one walk with composure and dignity. This is the view adopted by Ahmad and Ishaq, who both said, “Practice follows the hadith of Abu Hurayrah.” Ishaq added, “If he fears missing the first takbir, there is no objection to his accelerating his pace.”
I say: The correct ruling is that hastening is disliked in all cases, whether or not one fears missing the takbir. The evidence for this has already been presented; the reader may refer to it there.
- He must rub the soles of his sandals against the ground if he intends to enter the mosque wearing them, for the Prophet ﷺ said, “When any one of you comes to the mosque, let him look at his sandals; if he sees on them filth or dirt, let him wipe it off, then pray in them.”
This narration comes from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri — may Allah be pleased with him. It was cited earlier with slightly different wording. It is recorded by Abu Dawud, and its chain is sound, as noted under Issue Three on the purity of the place.
- He should begin his entry with the right foot, for that is the sunnah. Anas ibn Malik — may Allah be pleased with him — said, “It is from the sunnah that when you enter the mosque you start with your right foot, and when you leave you start with your left.”
Al-Hakim recorded it (1/218), and through his route al-Bayhaqi (2/…) reported it from Shaddad Abu Talhah, who said, “I heard Muʿawiyah ibn Qurrah narrate it from Anas.” The two scholars differed over its grading; al-Hakim said, “It is sound according to the criteria of Muslim, for Muslim relied upon Shaddad ibn Saʿid Abu Talhah al-Rasibi,” and al-Dhahabi agreed with him.