A student’s report of his question to Shaykh Ibn Baz regarding the ruling on cooperating with the Shi'ah in Iran and praying behind them while hosting some of the leaders of Hamas

The student : I am telling you about an incident that happened in front of me with Shaykh Ibn Baz involving five of the leaders of Hamas. The one speaking was shaving his beard and mustache.

The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
The student : He was wearing a European suit with a wide tie.

The Shaykh : He was sitting in Shaykh’s gathering.
The student : That is, we were sitting in Shaykh’s gathering. He was speaking; I was speaking to my companion when I heard a voice that I thought was Ibn Taymiyyah because of the precision of his speech. Yes, when I looked at him, I said, I seek refuge in Allah, this is the spokesperson for Hamas speaking.

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The student : They are demanding that the Shaykh provide a full one-hour tape supporting our brothers in Marg al-Zuhur and encouraging them, saying, “Be patient, you are in the right.” The Shaykh was reserved in his speech and did not answer. In any case, we got up for lunch, and I sat at the Shaykh’s table, and our brothers, these men, were sitting there.

The Shaykh : Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.
The student : So I said, “O Shaykh, I have a question.” He said, “Go ahead.”

The Shaykh : And peace be upon you.
The student : I said, “Is it permissible for our Palestinian brothers, in parentheses Hamas, to open a da'wah office in Tehran?”

The Shaykh : Good.
The student : So all the faces looked at me as if I had disbelieved in Allah.

The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
The student : By Allah, if I had disbelieved in Allah, it would have been easier, because in Palestine you hear the Creator being cursed openly and no one rebukes it, but if you say, “Ahmad Yassin made a mistake in such-and-such a fatwa,” people look at you wanting to kill you. We have noticed this, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The student : In any case, the Shaykh was wise in his answer. He said, “It depends on the public benefit. If there is a public benefit, there is no objection.” One of them said, “May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. By Allah, you have closed the door on a fitnah that was about to occur.”

The Shaykh: Allah is the Greatest!
The student : Yes, I said, “A second question, O Shaykh.” He said, “Go ahead,” but the Shaykh did not want me to ask.

The Shaykh: Yes.
The student : I said, “Is it permissible to pray behind the Shi'ah?”

The Shaykh: Hehehe.
The student : One of them said, “Why? They are disbelievers.” The Shaykh said, “... We know his fatwa: it is not permissible to pray behind the Shi'ah.” He said, “We did not pray.” I said to him, “O Shaykh, we have wide and long color photos of these brothers praying behind this... what is his name? Rafsanjani.”

The Shaykh : Rafsanjani.
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : What? They went there.
The student : Ah, they do not have a da'wah office now, O Shaykh. The activity of the Shi'ah in Palestine is the greatest, meaning the greatest state that supports Hamas, the greatest state that supports Hamas, the greatest state that supports Hamas. Wait a moment, do not involve us, we want to get married to a third wife, may Allah guide you. Yes, from Tehran, yes.

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The student : So I said, “O Shaykh, well, I return to my first question. Who determines this public benefit, scholars or... may Allah reward you for your speech.”

The Shaykh : You have done well.
The student : He said, “No, the scholars.” I said, “The recognized scholars, O our Shaykh?” They said, “No public benefit, so it remains open or it is closed?” He said, “It is closed.”

The Shaykh: Hehehe.
The student : So they kept changing the subject.