You would be aware of some of our brothers commonly known as "Barailvis" in India. In southern Bihar (now called Jharkhand), there are a lot of mosques dominated by these "Barailvis".
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Dear Burhan Bhai,
Asslam-o-eleikum,
This is similar to Q #
3746 asked by a brother earlier.
You would be aware of
some of our brothers commonly known as "Barailvis" in
Just like the brother who asked question # 3746, whenever I am in my hometown
(I live in the UAE), I do not pray in congregation because these practices are
rampant in the mosque near my house. For Juma`a I travel some distance to pray
in a mosque where these things are not practiced. Am I right in doing this?
Should I still pray in congegation in these mosques? Please reply (at least
before my next vacation!)
Jazak Allah Khair.
(There may be some grammatical and
spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Iman leading prayer bida
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help
and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and
whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness
that there is no one (no idol, no person,
no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai,
nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: Should I still pray
in congegation in these mosques?
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2527 Narrated by Ab uHurayrah
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along with every
ruler, whether he is pious or impious; the prayer is obligatory on you
behind every believer, pious or impious, even if he commits grave sins;
the (funeral) prayer is incumbent upon every Muslim, pious and impious, even if
he commits major sins.
Dear and Beloved Brother, as long as the ‘imam’
does not do any act which is tantamount to manifest ‘shirk’ with the Lord Most
High, there is absolutely no harm in praying behind the ‘imam’ in congregation;
and you must try to the best of your ability to honorably abstain from all
their acts and deeds of ‘bida’.
Rest assured that your prayers behind such an
‘imam’ will be absolutely valid and your Lord Most Gracious will not diminish
your rewards in the least. The
responsibility of the deeds and acts of ‘bida’ would be borne by the ‘imam’ and
not by those who pray behind him.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due
to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and well
wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister