Search In Fatwa

Dispute About The Place of Prayer

Question

As Salam Alae kumI have a question and I want Islamic view on thisOne gentleman purchased 2 flats but the flats were in the name of 2 individuals who were part of a trust. He wanted them to prepare this place for offering salah for muslims of all sect and may be this was the reason why he did not purchase the flat in the name of the trust. In this part of the world it is very difficult to get approval for forming mosque so the trust took approval for Islamic madrasa and is conducting all salah, even Jumah and Eid Salah at the place. In this part of the world the mosques are divided based on fiqh and sects. We have Sunni mosque, we have Tableegi mosque and so on. In some mosque there is a fine if a person of other sect performs salah in the mosque. Alhumdulillah the trust has been running the mosque for 23 years plus and this is one of the unique mosque where everyone offers salah because this has not been under any stamp of sects. We do not allow activity of any sects in the mosque. The mosque is only for salah and madrasa and nothing else. We ensure that no colour of any sect is visible of any sect.A number of times attempts have been made to take control by such sects but Allhumdulillah they have not been successful because the mosque in not in the name of the trust.Recently one of the sect has started talking to people for taking control. One of their stand is unless the mosque is not transferred in the name of the trust it is not waqf and salah will not be valid.But the risk is the day we transfer the 2 flats in name of the trust many sects will fight for control and there is a possibility of fight within sects.In case matter goes to Police station, the police will immediately stop salah quoting that this place has approval for madrasa and not salah. Earlier many a times when we applied for permission they have quoted thisWant you help to guide whether is it necessary to transfer the place in the name of Trust for salah to be valid

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is not necessary for the prayer to be valid or for its permissibility, or to get the reward of the congregational prayer, that the place prepared for prayer is a mosque which is endowed for this purpose. Rather, it is permissible to perform the prayer and it is valid and the worshipers will get the reward of congregational prayer even if they pray in their homes.

If anyone claims that the prayer is not permissible just because the place is not a mosque, then he is an ignorant person; indeed, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "The earth has been made a place of prayer for me and a source of purification for me (Tayammum) – wherever any member of my nation wants to pray, he may pray." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, we advise you to keep the place for prayer and hold lessons in it, and keep it free from quarrels and disagreements so that this goodness would not stopped because of this. You should be means leading to goodness and not means leading to evil.

Anas ibn Maalik  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Some people open the door to goodness and close the door to evil, and other people open the door to evil and close the door to goodness. Glad tidings to those whom Allah makes means to goodness, and woe to those whom Allah makes means to evil." [Ibn Maajah]

You should refer to the trustworthy scholars from Ahlus-Sunnah and the rational and wise people to deal with this issue in a way that serves the better interest of the Muslims, propagate Da’wah, and teach the people what is good.

Allah knows best.

Related Fatwa