Questioner:

What is the verdict on praying Jumu`ah in the masājid of the people of innovation in spite of being able to get to mosques owned by the people of the Sunnah?

Shaykh Muḥammad Bāzmūl:

It is not permitted for a Muslim living in a land like the one you live in to pray in the mosques of the people of innovation. He must look for mosques belonging to the people of Sunnah to pray in. This is because praying in mosques belonging to the people of innovation carries a lot of harmful consequences, like increasing their numbers, endorsing them to the common folk, becoming captivated by some of their innovations – for the sermoniser may be an innovator, eloquent and expressive in his speech, then come the deceptive ideas, and deceptive ideas can be very persuasive, while the hearts are weak.

Therefore, a Muslim in the lands you live in should not pray in the masjid of any innovators. He should seek out a masjid belonging to the people of the Sunnah; otherwise he and his brothers should pray their communal prayers at home or at another location if possible. Do not pray with innovators. This is in contrast with the Muslim who resides in Islamic territories where the ruler has authorised a specific Imām while that specific Imām is involved in innovation, for it is permitted for one to pray behind him out of obedience to the leader’s command, because it is the leader who selected him, but on the condition that his innovation is not such that it makes him an unbeliever, on the condition that the innovation that he is involved in is not unbelief.