The Shaykh’s remarks upon his visit to Britain regarding the Friday prayer in prayer halls, and regarding sectarian fanaticism.

When I went to Britain and attended some of the prayer halls in the houses, and we delivered some words, we found that those who establish these prayer halls are non-Arab Muslims, such as the Turks, the Pakistanis, and the Indians. Naturally, they are predominantly followers of a specific school of jurisprudence. I said, "Glory be to Allah, Allah has spoken the truth: . The congregational prayers of these people in these places are not valid according to their schools of jurisprudence, because it is a condition that they be held in an Islamic country with permission from the head of state. How can it be when they are praying in lands of disbelief? This prayer is not valid except according to our school, those who derive jurisprudence from the Book of Allah and the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), where Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the explicit Qur'an: . He did not stipulate any condition other than the congregation. So I said, "Praise be to Allah, the prayer of these people is valid according to our school and not valid according to their school." I drew the attention of some to this reality, which obligates the Muslim not to be fanatical about any of the schools of jurisprudence, but rather about what came in the Book and the Sunnah, so that he is first on clear understanding of his religion, and so that his worship is valid and acceptable, if Allah wills, by his Lord. And what did you do there?

The questioner : I was working at the Islamic Center there in Aachen as an employee in various fields, and currently I am almost unemployed.

The Shaykh : And before that?

The questioner : Before the center, what did you do?

The questioner : Before the center, I was studying here in Jordan, I graduated, and I returned to Germany and stayed there for months without work. Then I worked for a short period at an institute called the Islamic Academy in Germany. This institute is for Turkish youth, but this academy was in a difficult financial situation, so they could not pay me a salary. I moved to Aachen and stayed there for more than four years.

The Shaykh : Are you married?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Do you have children?

The questioner : Three children, meaning a boy and two girls.

The Shaykh : And what are their names?

The questioner : The eldest girl is Taseenim, the boy is Awab, and the youngest girl is Israa.

The questioner : And he has no son.