Mosques near you.
Wherever you are.

Before you walk in

If this is your first time inside a mosque, here is the short version. You'll be welcome. People will not stare. The handful of things below cover ninety-five percent of what you need.

• Make wudu before you go if you can. Most mosques have wash areas, but it's calmer to arrive ready.
• Remove your shoes at the entrance. There will be shelves or cubbies, sometimes a plastic bag stand if the mosque is large.
• Dress modestly. Men: clothes covering shoulders and knees, ideally trousers. Women: loose clothing with a headscarf for salah. Most mosques have spare hijabs at the door for visitors.
• Phones on silent. If you take photos for the architecture, do it before salah starts and never during.
• Greet with as-salamu alaikum. Don't worry about pronunciation, sincerity carries.

Friday prayer (Jumu'ah)

Jumu'ah is the only obligatory congregational prayer in Islam. It replaces Dhuhr (the noon prayer) on Friday. There is a sermon (khutba) followed by two rakahs led by the imam. Doors usually open thirty minutes before the adhan, and most mosques fill up, so arrive early. If you've never prayed before, stand in the row behind regular attendees and follow along: stand when they stand, bow when they bow. No one expects you to be perfect on day one.

What if there's no mosque nearby?

You can pray anywhere. The Prophet ﷺ said the whole earth has been made a place of prostration for the believer (Bukhari 335, Muslim 521). Find a clean spot, face the qibla, and pray. If you're at work or in a public place, a quiet corner is enough. Some airports, train stations, malls, and hospitals have dedicated multi-faith or prayer rooms.