As for the had?th that states: ‘Talking in the mosque, even in good things, consumes the Hasan?t [one’s rewards] as fire consumes fuel wood’, it is forged. (1)
It is proofed that the Sah?bah ( - رضي الله عنهم -) used to talk in the presence of the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) in the mosque about things they used to do in their J?hiliyyah and laugh, and he ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to smile. This indicates that talking and laughing about lawful things in the mosque is permissible. (2)
Sim?k Ibn Harb said: I asked J?bir Ibn Samurah ( - رضي الله عنه -): ‘ Did you use to sit with the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) frequently?’ He answered in the affirmative and said: ‘He ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to sit in his praying place from dawn Sal?t till the sun rises, then leaves. During his stay in the mosque, the Sah?bah ( - رضي الله عنهم -) used to talk about things they used to do in their J?hiliyyah and laugh and the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) would smile’. (3)
However, sitting in the mosque should preferably be dedicated to doing Sal?t, reciting Qur’?n and remembrances, contemplation and teaching provided that no disturbance or inconvenience is caused to others. Ibn ‘Umar related this meaning from the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) to have said: ‘Do not take the mosques as places for your councils unless you want to perform Sal?t or recite Thikr in them’. (4)
Ab? Sa‘?d narrated a similar had?th; the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said: ‘Each of you remembers All?h ( - عز وجل -) [ in his own way], so do not
(1) As Al-Ir?q? stated in “Takhr?j ’Ah?d?th Al-Ihy?’ “(vol. 1 / p. 136), As-Subk? in “Tabaq?t Ash-Sh?fi‘iyyah Al-Kubr?” (vol. 4 / pp. 145 - 7), Al? Al-Q?r? in “Al-Masn?‘ “(no. 109), As-Saf?r?n? in “Gith?’ul Alb?b “(vol. 2 / p. 257) and Al-Alb?n? in “Silsilat Al-’ah?d?th Ad-Da‘ifah” (no. 4).
(2) See: “Al-Majm?‘ “(vol. 2 / p. 177), “Al-Muhall?” (vol. 4 / p. 241) and “H?shiyat Ibn ‘Abd?n” (vol. 1 / p. 445).
(3) Narrated by Muslim in his “Sah?h” (no. 670).
(4) Narrted by: At-Tabar?n? in “Al-Kab?r” and “Al-Awsat” as mentioned in “Al-Majma‘ “(vol. 2 / p. 24); Al-Haitham? stated that all the had?th’s narrators are reliable. It was also narrated by Ibn Ab? Th?bit in his “Had?th” (vol. 1 / p. 126 / no. 1) and Ibn ‘As?kir in “T?rikh Dimashq” (vol. 12 / p. 39 / no. 2) as mentioned in “Silsilat Al-’Ah?d?th As-Sah?hah” (no. 1001).