I pray and fast the month of Ramadan, and I was with a group of Christians and lived with them in the residence, and I used to eat and drink with them. Is my prayer valid?
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The questioner : I pray and fast the month of Ramadan, and I was with a group of Christians, and I lived with them in the residence, and I used to eat and drink with them. Is my prayer valid, and is my eating and drinking with them valid or not? Please inform us about this, may Allah bless you?
The Shaykh : This man says that he is with a group of Christians and that he eats and drinks with them and prays. Is this action valid or not?
So we say to him in answer to that: As for your prayer, it is valid, because there was nothing in it that would invalidate it. Perhaps your prayer may be a cause for them to turn to Islam and desire it, if they see that you leave your work to stand up for what Allah has made obligatory upon you of prayer, and you stand up in the last part of the night to perform the ablution, especially in the cold nights, to fulfill what Allah has made obligatory upon you. Perhaps that may be a cause for their desire for Islam and their entering into it. As for your socializing with them and your eating and drinking with them, this is not befitting. Rather, what is befitting for you is to choose companions from among the Muslims so that they may be a help for you in obeying Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and to stay away from people who are not Muslims, because that, namely your mixing with non-Muslims, may lead to your loving them and having affection for them. And there may be for you with them a socializing and flattery that is not permissible for you. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:[Al-Mujadila 58:22].
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This man says that he is with a group of Christians and that he eats and drinks with them and prays. Is this action valid or not?
So we say to him in answer to that: As for your prayer, it is valid, because there was nothing in it that would invalidate it. Perhaps your prayer may be a cause for them to turn to Islam and desire it, if they see that you leave your work to stand up for what Allah has made obligatory upon you of prayer, and you stand up in the last part of the night to perform the ablution, especially in the cold nights, to fulfill what Allah has made obligatory upon you. Perhaps that may be a cause for their desire for Islam and their entering into it. As for your socializing with them and your eating and drinking with them, this is not befitting. Rather, what is befitting for you is to choose companions from among the Muslims so that they may be a help for you in obeying Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), and to stay away from people who are not Muslims, because that, namely your mixing with non-Muslims, may lead to your loving them and having affection for them. And there may be for you with them a socializing and flattery that is not permissible for you. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah - they are the successful.
لا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَThe questioner : May Allah bless you.