💯 Miscellaneous Benefits from Yemen

BENEFIT 55: Praying in the masjids of Ahlul-Bid’ah while the masjids of Ahlus-Sunnah are accessible QUESTION: We seek advice for those students who refrain from praying in the masjids of Ahlus-Sunnah and instead choose to pray with the ḥizbīs. ANSWER: This person is weak in his Salafiyyah, uprightness, and knowledge. This type of person, after some time, may end up with them (the ḥizbīs); because he prays with them (voluntarily) while the masjids (of Ahlus-Sunnah) are accessible. Furthermore, since imāmah (leading prayer) is an honour, the one who goes to pray with them (voluntarily) is considered to have endorsed them. This is a fitnah by which Shayṭān deceives this type of person. We don't deem it Ḥarām to pray behind an innovator. Rather we believe what Bukhāri wrote (in his Ṣahih): باب الصلاة خلف المفتون والمبتدع Chapter: the (allowance & validity of) prayer behind the Maftūn (a person affected by fitnah) and the innovator However, if one has an option between praying in a masjid of Ahlus-Sunnah and that of Ahlul bid'ah, it is better to pray behind the Sunni! This is what Sheikhul Islām confirms in many of his works, and we quoted that from him in our book 'Fatḥul bāri 'Alā sharḥ Sunan Al-Barbahāri'. Primarily, the disease starts to enter gradually, thus, if a person does not address it, he will fall sick and as a result become ruined. However, if he tends to it at its early stages, Allāh will cure him (InshāAllāh). In relation to this, one of the laymen once said to me: “One of your companions prayed beside me in such-and-such masjid. So I asked him: 'Why don't you pray with your companions?' He responded, 'They are all masjids.'” I mean, look at this layman, he realises that the (correct) path is through Tamayyuz (being distinct), although the layman prays there because he is unable to distinguish; however, this one goes and tells him that they are all masjids. If he had excused himself by saying, “The time for prayer came and I was unable to catch the prayer (in the masjid of Ahlus-Sunnah),” or ”I was busy today,” or “may Allāh reward you with good (for this advice),” that would have been better instead of misleading the layman. Furthermore, some people believe that Salafiyyah is merely to say Allāh is above the heavens. Sheikh Muqbil raḥimahullāh said about Muḥammad Al-Mahdi that he has forty faces, even though he says that Allāh is above the heavens. ’Abdulmajīd Ar-Raymi died while supporting ISIS and Al-Qā'idah, as well as having other corrupt doctrines besides that, all the while claiming that Allāh is above the heaven. Muḥammad Surūr, Zain Al-’Ābidīn, the founder of Surūriyyah, believes that Allāh is above the heavens. So the issue comes down to Tamayyuz. Do you know that the last lecture we heard from Sheikh Miqbil in person was about Tamayyuz? We entered upon him in a room in San’ā at night, just before dawn, to talk to him. His words mainly revolves around Tamayyuz, praising it and showing amazement at the Tamayyuz of Ahlus-Sunnah in Yemen and shock at the lack of Tamayyuz which he witnessed outside Yemen. This goes to show that Tamayyuz is a commendable affair. If you are forced to pray behind an innovator, pray and leave. As for going to their masjids voluntarily, (then you should not do so). Perhaps your state becomes such that you're there as the Adhān is being called, offering your voluntary prayers there; those before and after the obligatory prayers, and then the remembrances, until it you reach a stage where he (the ḥizbi) smiles at you and you smile back at him, and the general folk become deceived by you. This kind of individual is calling to innovation (indirectly) through his action rather than statements, and we fear that after some time he will call to it through both speech and action. I swear by Allāh, if we abandon Tamayyuz, it will lead to laxity (in matters of da'wah). The ḥizbīs will come and fill up this masjid and take care of it and rejoice, (claiming) “we are all part of one da'wah, and may Allāh reward you with good O Sheikh.