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Fatwa CenterInviting non-Muslims to mosques and having them observe prayers
Question
We are a Muslim community in Germany and have a mosque. In order to ameliorate the relationship with non-Muslims and show them the right view of Islam, we invite non-Muslim people to visit our mosque. They attend also the prayer to have an idea about Muslim spirituality. These visits are not welcome from all brothers in the mosque. Many brothers think that it is not allowed to let non-Muslims enter to the mosque, especially women without Hijab or together with men. Other are disturbed when the visitors attend the prayer. That's why the following questions: is it allowed to let non-Muslims enter the mosque? Are there any restrictions on such visits? Do women have to cover their heads? Is it allowed to invite groups of men and women together? Is there any restriction about the attendance of the prayer? Is there any difference between these issues in Muslim countries and in Europe where we live and where we have great interest at having good relationships with the society in which we live and that need our support to find the right way of Islam. I hope that you can help us to find the right answers to these questions, with the references from Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
If the non-Muslims come to a mosque only for the purpose of tourism and do not have any interest in Islam and they aim only to make entertainment by praying with Muslims, in this case they should not be allowed to do so. Hence most probably they would not be free from major impurities like being in the state of menstruation, Janabah (impurity), confinement period, etc. If they insist to pray with Muslims then you inform them that our religion imposes on men and women to be pure and wear polite and full dress especially for women. At the same time we would like to draw your attention to the fact that if the non-muslims have interest in Islam and they might accept Islam through following Muslim rites then you may allow them attend prayer provided men should be with men separately and women should be with women separate from men because the Prophet sometimes permitted non-Muslims to enter in mosque as narrated in the story of Dhamamah Bin Thalaba and Thumamah (May Allah have mercy upon them). For more details, please refer to the Fatwa Nos: 81644, 82236, and 81478.
Allah knows best.
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