Rakʿahs2
WhenBefore sitting
TypeVoluntary
The Prophetic instruction
Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said that when one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit until he has prayed two rakʿahs.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1167 ↗ · Sahih Muslim 714 ↗
How to pray it
Pray two normal voluntary rakʿahs. There is no separate special recitation required for the physical sequence.
Open the 2-rakʿah guide →Fiqh note
The majority of scholars regard Taḥiyyat al-Masjid as Sunnah. There are recognised differences over what to do if someone enters during a time when voluntary prayer is normally restricted. Follow the school or reliable scholar you rely on for that detail.
Not the same as prayer after Wudhu: Ṣalāt al-Wuḍūʾ is connected to ablution; Taḥiyyat al-Masjid is connected to entering the mosque. Sometimes one two-rakʿah prayer can coincide with more than one intention according to fiqh discussion.