Leaving the Musjid with the left foot

Q: Is there any hadith with reference which states it is sunnah to enter the Masjid with the right foot and leave the Masjid with the left foot? If there isn't any hadith which states one should leave the Masjid with the left foot, is it permissible and better to leave the Masjid with the right ​foot if one intends to do something good when leaving the Masjid?

A: It is sunnah to enter the Musjid with the righjt foot and leave with the left foot. This is established in the Hadith. Hadhrat Anas (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports: “It is from the sunnah (established from the words of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)) that when you enter the Musjid you should enter with your right foot; and when you leave the Musjid, you should leave with your left foot.”

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

عن أنس بن مالك  أنه كان يقول من السنة إذا دخلت المسجد أن تبدأ برجلك اليمنى وإذا خرجت أن تبدأ برجلك اليسرى هذا حديث صحيح على شرط مسلم فقد احتج بشداد بن سعيد أبي طلحة الراسبي ولم يخرجاه (المستدرك للحاكم رقم 791)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)