"Places of Worship Etiquette in Pakistan: Mosque to Gurdwara"

Mosque etiquette in Pakistan comes down to a few rules that also work at almost every other place of worship in the country: dress modestly, take your shoes off where others do, keep your voice down, and ask before photographing anyone. The differences between faiths are small but they matter. At a gurdwara everyone covers their head, men included, and tobacco is not allowed anywhere on the premises. At a Hindu temple you keep out of the inner sanctum. At a church your shoes usually stay on, unless the congregation sits on the floor.

This guide sets out the shared rules first, then what is different at mosques, Sufi shrines, gurdwaras, temples and churches, with notes for women visitors and on photography and security.

What rules apply at every place of worship in Pakistan?

Whatever the faith, the same basics will keep you out of trouble almost everywhere:

• Dress modestly. Arms and legs covered for men and women alike. Shalwar kameez is right everywhere; shorts and sleeveless tops are not.
• Carry a scarf or dupatta. Women will need it at mosques, shrines and gurdwaras, and men will need a head covering at a gurdwara.
• Watch what others do with shoes. If there is a shoe rack or a pile of sandals at the door, take yours off. Socks that you do not mind getting dusty are useful in summer, when courtyard marble gets hot.
• Keep your voice down and your phone on silent.
• Do not walk in front of people at prayer, and stay to the side during a service.
• Ask before photographing worshippers, and never film people in prayer or in a trance at close range.
• Carry your CNIC (or passport if you are a foreign visitor). Many places of worship are guarded and bags may be searched.

What is mosque etiquette in Pakistan?

Mosques are the places of worship most visitors see, from Badshahi in Lahore to Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The big historic mosques receive tourists every day and are used to them.

• Time your visit outside prayer times. The Friday midday prayer is the busiest of the week; visit in the morning or mid-afternoon instead.
• Shoes come off before the prayer area. Large mosques have a shoe counter at the gate.
• Women cover their hair, and everyone covers arms and legs.
• Women may be directed to a separate section or entrance for prayer, while sightseeing in the courtyard is usually open to all.
• Non-Muslims are generally welcome at the historic mosques outside prayer times. At a small neighbourhood mosque it is better to ask first.

Our mosque visiting etiquette guide goes into more detail on Fridays, washing and what men should wear.

How should you behave at a Sufi shrine?

A Sufi shrine is more crowded and emotional than a mosque. Expect incense, rose petals, devotional music, langar being handed round and, on Thursday nights at some shrines, dhamaal with drumming and trance dancing.

• Dress and shoes as at a mosque. Women cover their hair.
• Women often have a separate area, and at some shrines women are not allowed into the inner tomb chamber.
• Do not step into a dhamaal circle unless invited, and never film someone in a trance close up.
• Langar is offered freely; accepting a little is polite, and nobody minds if you decline.

Our shrine visiting etiquette guide covers offerings, crowds and security checks.

What is the etiquette at a gurdwara?

Sikh gurdwaras have the clearest rules, and they apply to everyone, Sikh or not.

1. Cover your head. Men and women alike. A scarf, a knotted handkerchief or a patka will do; a baseball cap will not. Large gurdwaras keep spare head coverings at the entrance.
2. Remove shoes and socks and leave them at the shoe rack, then wash your hands and feet where water is provided.
3. Leave tobacco and alcohol behind. Cigarettes, naswar and any intoxicants are not allowed on the premises, and you should not smoke just before going in.
4. In the prayer hall, sit on the floor, cross-legged if you can, and do not sit with your back or the soles of your feet towards the Guru Granth Sahib, the scripture at the front.
5. Accept langar if it is offered. The free meal is served to everyone, seated on the floor in rows, and you eat what you take.

In Pakistan there is a practical layer on top of this. The main gurdwaras are managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board, and access for non-Sikh visitors varies. Kartarpur admits Pakistanis of any faith with a CNIC and an entry fee. At Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Dera Sahib in Lahore, non-Sikh visitors, and Muslims in particular, are often turned away on security grounds, most strictly at festivals. Ask the management or the ETPB before you go. Our Sikh heritage guide explains the rules for each site.

What is the etiquette at a Hindu temple?

Pakistan's working temples range from Karachi's city temples to rural shrines in Sindh, and the heritage complexes at Katas Raj welcome visitors of any faith.

• Take your shoes off before the inner area, and often at the temple gate.
• Do not touch the murtis (sacred images), the shrines or the offerings.
• Stay out of the inner sanctum unless the priest invites you in.
• Walk clockwise if you follow devotees round the shrine.
• Accept prasad with your right hand. Prasad is a blessed sweet or piece of fruit; take it with a cupped right hand and eat it, or accept it and keep it, rather than refusing.
• Ask before photographing the shrine as well as the people. Some priests allow it; some do not.

Many temples in Pakistan are guarded, especially in cities and at festivals such as Holi and Diwali, so expect your CNIC to be checked. Our guide to Hindu temples in Pakistan lists the main ones to visit.

What is the etiquette at a church?

Churches are the most relaxed of the five. Modest dress, quiet voices and a phone on silent are enough at most of them, and shoes stay on in the cathedrals of Karachi and Lahore, which have pews.

Some Pakistani churches, however, have no pews: worshippers sit barefoot on rugs or matting, a style borrowed from the mosque. St Peter's in Karachi is one example. Where you see shoes at the door, add yours to the pile.

Visit outside Sunday services if you want to look around, ask the caretaker at the gate, and do not wander about during a service. A small donation is welcome but never expected. Our guide to churches in Pakistan covers the main historic ones city by city.

What should women visitors know?

• Carry a dupatta or scarf everywhere. It covers you at mosques, shrines and gurdwaras and is never out of place at a temple or church.
• Expect separate spaces at mosques and shrines. They are usually signed or pointed out by guards or volunteers, and women visitors are generally welcome in them.
• At gurdwaras, men and women sit in the same hall, usually on separate sides.
• Going with a family group makes visits to busy shrines easier, especially on Thursday nights.

What about photography and security?

Most big places of worship allow photographs of the building. The rules are about people:

• Ask before you photograph worshippers, and take no for an answer.
• No flash in prayer halls, and no filming during prayers or a service.
• Some sites ban photography in particular areas, such as an inner tomb chamber or a sanctum. Follow the signs and the guards.
• Do not fly a drone over any place of worship without permission. Many are guarded, and a drone will draw attention fast.
• Do not photograph security posts, police or barriers at the entrance.

Bag searches and walk-through metal detectors are common at the larger sites, particularly on Fridays, festival days and urs days. Allow extra time and leave large bags in the car.

Is visiting places of worship in Pakistan worth it?

Yes. Some of the finest buildings in the country are places of worship, and seeing a working mosque, gurdwara, temple and church on one trip gives you a far fuller picture of Pakistan than the forts alone. Lahore and Karachi are the easiest cities for this: in either you can see a great mosque, a Sufi shrine and a cathedral in a day, and Karachi adds working temples close to the centre.

It suits curious, patient travellers. It is less suited to a rushed schedule, because access can depend on a caretaker, a prayer time or a security decision. If a guard says no, accept it politely and try another time. For more cultural ideas, see our experiences page and our travel guide.

Frequently asked questions