Can You Enter the Haram Mosque with Shoes? Understanding the Islamic Perspective

Entering the Haram Mosque with Shoes: Permissibility and Cleanliness Considerations

Entering the Haram Mosque with shoes or performing Tawaf and Sa’i with shoes

The mosque is the house of Allah and the holiest and purest place on earth. A person can enter the mosque without wudu, but those in a state of Janabah (major impurity), Haidah (menstruation), or Nifas (postpartum bleeding) are not allowed to stay there. This is due to the sanctity of the mosque. However, there is no harm in entering the mosque wearing shoes or praying while wearing shoes, as long as the shoes are clean and free from impurity.

The noble life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is our example, as Allah (عز وجل) has stated:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ (الاحزاب:21)
Translation: Indeed, you have in the Messenger of Allah a good example (for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day).

Thus, it is proven from the sayings and actions of our Prophet ﷺ, who is our role model, that he himself prayed in shoes and instructed his companions to do the same. I will first present a verbal hadith, followed by a practical hadith.

Verbal Hadith:
Shaddad bin Aws (رضي الله عنه) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
خالِفوا اليَهودَ فإنَّهم لا يصلُّونَ في نعالِهِم ولا خفافِهِم (صحيح أبي داود:652)
Translation: “Oppose the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or shoes.”

Practical Hadith:
Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (رضي الله عنهما) said:
رأيتُ رسولَ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ يصلِّي حافيًا ومَنتعِلًا (صحيح أبي داود:653)
Translation: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying both barefoot and wearing shoes.”

Both of these hadiths are authentic, and from them, it is clear that the Prophet ﷺ not only prayed in shoes but also instructed others to do so.

There are other evidences on this matter, but these two suffice for understanding the issue. However, one more well-known and clear hadith on this matter will be beneficial for further clarification.

Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) said:
بينَما رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ يصلِّي بأصحابِهِ إذ خلعَ نعليهِ فوضعَهُما عن يسارِهِ فلمَّا رأى ذلِكَ القومُ ألقوا نعالَهُم فلمَّا قضى رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ صلاتَهُ قالَ ما حملَكُم علَى إلقاءِ نعالِكُم قالوا رأيناكَ ألقيتَ نعليكَ فألقينا نعالَنا فقالَ رسولُ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ إنَّ جبريلَ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ أتاني فأخبرَني أنَّ فيهِما قذرًا – أو قالَ أذًى – وقالَ إذا جاءَ أحدُكُم إلى المسجدِ فلينظُر فإن رأى في نعليهِ قذرًا أو أذًى فليمسَحهُ وليصلِّ فيهِما (صحيح أبي داود:650)
Translation: “While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying with his companions, he took off his shoes and placed them on his left side. When the people saw this, they also took off their shoes. After the prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, ‘Why did you take off your shoes?’ They replied, ‘We saw you take off your shoes, so we did the same.’ He said, ‘Jibril (Gabriel) came to me and informed me that there was impurity in them.’ He then said, ‘When one of you enters the mosque, let him look at his shoes. If he sees any impurity in them, he should wipe them and pray in them.'”

With all these hadiths in mind, it becomes clear that entering the mosque and praying with shoes on is permissible because the Prophet ﷺ taught his companions to pray in shoes during congregational prayers at the mosque. This shows that we can enter the mosque wearing shoes.

The Haram Mosque is also a mosque, and just as the Prophet ﷺ entered the Prophet’s Mosque with shoes on, we too can enter the Masjid al-Haram, the Prophet’s Mosque, and other mosques around the world while wearing shoes. There is no issue with this from a religious perspective.

However, it should also be clarified that while it is permissible to enter the Haram Mosque with shoes on and to pray in them, the matter of cleanliness is crucial. Therefore, today, entering the Haram Mosque with shoes on is considered inappropriate, and further clarification of this issue follows below.

A Few More Points Regarding Tawaf and Sa’i with Shoes

• I would like to first inform those performing Umrah that men should not wear shoes or sandals while in the state of Ihram; they should only wear slippers. Women, however, are allowed to wear shoes or sandals while in the state of Ihram. For voluntary Tawaf, men can wear shoes since there is no Ihram restriction in such cases.
• The permission to enter the mosque and pray in shoes does not mean that it is necessary to enter the mosque wearing shoes or to perform prayers in shoes. Rather, it means that it is permissible to enter the mosque with shoes and to pray while wearing them. Similarly, it is not obligatory to perform Tawaf and Sa’i with shoes; one can perform these rituals barefoot as most people do. However, if someone performs Tawaf or Sa’i wearing shoes, it is permissible. Still, for the sake of cleanliness, it is better to perform Tawaf and Sa’i barefoot.
• During the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), people would have likely entered the Haram Mosque wearing shoes, as the Prophet’s teachings allowed for this. Also, during the time of the Prophet, it is certain that people would have worn shoes or sandals while performing Tawaf and Sa’i.
• In the past, mosques were made of mud, and it was not considered inappropriate to enter them wearing shoes. However, today’s mosques are adorned with marble and carpets, and we must consider this aspect carefully.
• There is no doubt that a large number of people are assigned to cleanliness duties in the Haram Mosque, which is why it always looks spotless. In such a case, we should be mindful of cleanliness and avoid entering the Haram Mosque with shoes or sandals.
• The shoes and sandals we wear when we enter from outside are likely to be dirty from dust, dirt, or even dampness if we’ve been to a washroom. In this case, wearing them inside the mosque would dirty the carpets and marble, creating difficulties for cleaning staff.
• The issue, therefore, is not about whether it is permissible or not, but rather about cleanliness. In consideration of the cleanliness of the Haram Mosque, we should enter without shoes or sandals, meaning that the shoes we used outside should be removed at the door, and we should enter barefoot, pray barefoot, and perform Tawaf and Sa’i barefoot.
• The Haram Mosque is often broadcast live, and its scenes are viewed by people, both Muslims and non-Muslims. The sight of people entering the Haram Mosque with shoes might give a negative impression, especially to those who are unaware or ignorant of the correct practices. For this reason, it is better not to enter the Haram Mosque with shoes.

Summary:

In summary, it is recommended not to enter the Haram Mosque or any mosque that is not made of dirt or mud, but is instead adorned with tiles, marble, or carpets, while wearing shoes or sandals. This directive is for cleanliness purposes. However, there is no harm in wearing shoes when entering mosques that are still made of dirt, provided that the shoes are clean, as mentioned in several hadiths above.