Short answer
Yes. In the Hanafi school a non-Muslim may enter any mosque, and many masjids welcome visitors and hold open days. Visitors are asked to dress modestly, remove their shoes and respect people praying. The other schools are stricter, especially about the sacred mosque in Makkah, which non-Muslims may not enter today.
It is permissible for a non-Muslim to enter a masjid, including in the Hanafi view the Masjid al-Haram, since the Prophet ﷺ received non-Muslim delegations in his masjid. The verse forbidding polytheists to approach the Masjid al-Haram is understood as barring them from Hajj and from controlling it. The law of Saudi Arabia does not allow non-Muslims into Makkah, and that rule should be respected.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Non-Muslims may enter other mosques with a Muslim's permission, but never the Haram of Makkah.
- Maliki
- Non-Muslims should not enter mosques except for a need.
- Hanbali
- Non-Muslims may enter mosques with permission, for a benefit such as hearing the Quran, but not the Haram of Makkah.
Explanation
The Prophet's ﷺ own masjid in Madinah was a place where non-Muslims came and went. Thumamah ibn Uthal, a chief who was not yet Muslim, was kept tied to one of its pillars for several days; when he was freed he bathed and accepted Islam. Delegations of Christians and other tribes were also received in the masjid. The Hanafi school takes from this that a non-Muslim entering a masjid is permissible.
Tips for visitors:
- Dress modestly: long trousers or skirt and covered shoulders. Many masjids ask women visitors to wear a scarf in the prayer hall and lend one at the door.
- Take off your shoes before the prayer area.
- Do not walk directly in front of someone who is praying.
- Ask before taking photos, and speak quietly.
- Feel free to ask questions; many masjids have a guide or imam happy to answer.
Makkah and Madinah: the Quran says the polytheists should not approach the Masjid al-Haram after the year 9 AH. Other schools read this as a permanent ban on all non-Muslims entering the sacred precinct of Makkah, and that is the law today. Non-Muslims cannot enter the city of Makkah, so the question is only theoretical there.
Muslims who are bringing a friend should remember the masjid is a place of prayer: plan the visit outside the busiest prayer times. For more on visiting, see what is not allowed in the masjid, and for a simple introduction, what is Islam.
The evidence
Quran, Surah At-Tawba 9:28
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌۭ فَلَا يَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ ٱلْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَٰذَا ۚ وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةًۭ فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ إِن شَآءَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ﴿٢٨﴾
O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year. And if you fear privation, Allah will enrich you from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.
The verse the schools debate; it names the Masjid al-Haram specifically.
Sahih al-Bukhari 462
Sahih... فربطوه بسارية من سواري المسجد ...
"They tied him to one of the pillars of the masjid; then he was freed, bathed, entered the masjid and declared the shahadah."
A non-Muslim stayed in the Prophet's masjid, showing entry is permissible.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Karahiyah, chapter on miscellaneous matters. There is no harm in a dhimmi entering the Masjid al-Haram, as the Prophet ﷺ received the delegation of Thaqif in his masjid.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Jizyah. The Hanbali view barring non-Muslims from the Haram and requiring permission elsewhere.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.