Can Muslims prevent people from entering the mosque?

A believing man will do his best to make sure that no discrimination will happen in Allah's house especially to people who are trying to go in.

This is because Allah SWT said in the Quran:


"As to those who have rejected, and would keep back (people) from the Way of Allah, and from (entering) the Sacred Mosque, which We have made (open) for all people ("An-Nas" - men and women) - equal is the dweller there and the visitor(muslim and non muslim). Any whose purpose therein is profanity or wrong-doing - We make them taste a painful punishment". (QS 22:25)

The sacred Mosque here, in reference to Masjid Al-Haram also refers to all other Mosques in the world - since in building every Mosque we are trying to capture the spirit of Masjid Al-Haram - the first known Mosque.

By using the word "Nas" (people/mankind), Allah refers to accommodating all of humankind including non muslim and stresses the equality of the visitors, irregardless of religions or how they wear(attire).

Therefore, true believers are aware that Mosques are for all humanity including non muslim just as much as they are for muslim.

It does not satisfy a believing man's conscience that half of the believing population may have inadequate access to the house of Allah or made to feel unwelcomed while he is able to feel comfortable within it.

Ultimately, all these issues are only the side effects of people's lack of a true relationship with the contents of the Qur'an, and ultimately Allah.

Allah further states the severity of restricting anyone into the mosques:

"And who is more unjust than he who forbids the places for the worship of Allah (Mosques), wherein Allah's name should be celebrated? Whose zeal is (in fact) to ruin them? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them except in fear. For them there is nothing but disgrace in this world, and in the world to come, an exceeding torment." (QS 2:114)

When one forbids non muslim from entering the Mosques of Allah, his actions match the actions of the person admonished in the verse above.

Allah considers non muslim as part of "Nas" (people) in QS 22:25, and part of "Children of Adam".

"Children of Adam, take your pleasantness to every Mosque." (QS 7:31)

The address, "Children of Adam" includes all denominations of humankind including non believers.

Therefore, Allah also asks them to attend the Mosques of Allah and be a part of the worshipping believers.

During Rasulullah SAW time, a slave girl of unknown faith was brought into the mosque to be interrogated by the Prophet (pbuh) to determined her religious understanding by her master.

a) The Prophet (pbuh) did not asked her to clean herself (mandi wajib) before entering the mosque.

b) The Prophet (pbuh) did not asked her to cover her head with a veil (tudung) before entering the mosque.


c) The Prophet (pbuh) did not asked her to wear a robe (jubah untuk tutup aurat) before entering the mosque.

Mu'awiya ibn al-Hakam said: I had a maid-servant who tended goats by the side of Uhud and Jawwaniya. One day I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had carried a goat from her flock. I am after all a man from the posterity of Adam. I felt sorry as they (human beings) feel sorry. So I slapped her.

I came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and felt (this act of mine) as something grievous. I said: Messenger of Allah, should I not grant her freedom?

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: Bring her to me. So I brought her to him. He said to her: Where is Allah? She said: He is in the heaven. He said: Who am I? She said: Thou art the Messenger of Allah. He said: Grant her freedom, she is a believing woman.

Ref: Muslim Book of Prayers #1094
Muslim 537 a
Sahih Muslim Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 1094

In another incident:

A group of Najran Christians, about 60 of them visited the Prophet (pbuh) in the mosque for an interfaith debate. The territory of Najran was situated near the border of the Hijaz and Yemen. In the early days of Islam this was the only region in the Hijaz which was inhabited by the Christians.

a) The Prophet (pbuh) did not asked the visitors to clean (mandi wajib) themselves first before entering the mosque.

b) The Prophet (pbuh) even allows the Najran Christians to do their prayers in the mosque.


Ibn Ishaq said, "Muhammad bin Ja`far bin Az-Zubayr said that: "The (Najran) delegation came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in Al-Madinah, entered his Masjid wearing robes and garments, after the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed the `Asr prayer."

They accompanied a caravan of camels led by Bani Al-Harith bin Ka`b. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah who saw them said that they never saw a delegation like them after that. When their worship time came, they stood up to perform their worship in the Prophet’s Masjid. Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Let them (worship)”...and they prayed towards east.

(The visit of the Najran was cited in the Quran, Surah Al-I Imran verse 58 - 85)

Ref: Sahih Bukhari: 59: 663, Abu Dawood: 31: 5949; Muslim: 31: 5949, al Jamiu li Ahkam al Quran (Imam Qurtubi), Tafser Ibn Kather, Tafseer al Munir (Wahba al Zuhayli).

Wallahu'alam