And Muslims’ general need for the prayer of greeting the mosque is greater than their need for the two units of prayer following circumambulation, since circumambulation can be postponed, whereas the prayer of greeting the mosque cannot. Moreover, if a man enters the mosque at a time when prayer is prohibited and sits down without praying, he acts contrary to the Prophet’s command—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and forfeits this benefit, even if he is not guilty of sinful disobedience. If he remains standing or refrains from entering the mosque, that is a great harm.

Some people perform the Sunnah prayer before Fajr at home and then come to the mosque. Among those who regard the greeting prayer as disliked, some stand at the mosque door until the call to commence prayer is given, then enter and pray with the congregation. They thus deprive themselves of entering Allah’s house at that noble time and remembering Allah there. Others enter and sit down without praying, thereby acting contrary to the command.

This and similar considerations demonstrate conclusively that Muslims are commanded to perform the greeting prayer at all times. Muslims have always entered the mosque at both ends of the day. Had they been forbidden to perform the greeting prayer at those times, the Messenger’s prohibition would have been widely known. How could that be, when he commanded anyone entering the mosque while the preacher is on the pulpit not to sit down until he has prayed two units of prayer? Does his command to perform it at that time not indicate that it should also be performed at other times?

The fourth argument:

As we explained earlier, the prohibition was intended to block a path to polytheism. Prayers performed for a specific reason, however, have an overriding benefit, and the worshipper performs them because of that reason, rather than praying without a specific reason. This precludes such resemblance.