Dealing with those who claim Islam in Western countries

Question:
Peace be upon you. Peace. Honorable Shaykh, as you know, in Western countries there are many people of sects and desires among those who claim Islam. So, if we encounter someone who claims Islam, do we investigate the truth of his matter, or do we deal with him based on his outward appearance? For example, if we find an Islamic center where Muslims are praying, we do not know the status of these Muslims. Are they upon the Sunnah and the community, or do they have misguidance that takes them out of the religion? We do not know. Do we investigate before, or do we take them at their outward appearance?

Answer:
You have spoken well. Look, my brother, the default for a Muslim is good, the default for a Muslim is good and justice. If you see people praying, pray with them. If people do good, do good with them, as long as nothing appears to you that contradicts the matters of the religion. If something appears to you that contradicts the matters of creed and the matters of the religion, there is no doubt that there are misguided sects and bad propaganda. This exists, especially in those countries. So first, you should have a good opinion of the Muslims. If you see them praying, pray with them. But if it becomes clear to you... if it becomes clear to you that there is misguidance or deviation, then you isolate yourself from them and do not pray with them if their deviation and misguidance is in creed. If it is in creed, and they claim a defective creed, then do not pray with them. But if their error is in matters other than creed, in matters of scholarly disagreement from the issues of Islamic jurisprudence, the matter is easy in this. Disagreement in issues of Islamic jurisprudence: the four jurists, the four schools of jurisprudence, the Hanbalis, the Shafi'is, the Malikis, the Hanafis, the four schools of jurisprudence that exist today have disagreement among them in issues of Islamic jurisprudence, but in matters of creed, praise be to Allah, there is no disagreement among them. Their creed is one. So disagreement in the branches of issues does not harm. The disagreement that harms is disagreement in the fundamentals. If the disagreement you see is in jurisprudential issues, the matter is easy in this. This does not harm, like a Hanafi with a Hanbali, with a Shafi'i, with a Maliki; this does not harm. But if the disagreement is in creed—these are grave worshippers, these are Sufis, these are such and such of the creeds that do not agree with the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community—then you isolate yourself from them and leave them. Yes.