He was asked about the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah in his book (Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim Mukhalafat Ahl al-Jahim)

The questioner : This means that Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim, in his refutation of the people of the Fire, "that a man may attend an occasion such as the Mawlid or similar religious innovations and be rewarded for his good intention and lack of knowledge that the matter he attended is contrary to what came from Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)." What is your opinion on this?

The Shaykh : There is no doubt that this is the speech of a knowledgeable man, and it is sufficient for you that the one who said it is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He says this, and he does not know? Do we tell him, "Know everything"? But I will say something else: It is permissible for a Muslim to attend a place like these, knowing that it is an innovation and that it is not prescribed, but he does not attend it to seek nearness to Allah or to show off, rather he attends it to point out that it is not prescribed. Or, if he is unable, or if the general situation does not allow him to deny the origin of this religious innovation, he denies what may occur in this matter, provided that denying it does not lead to a harm that is greater than the benefit he is pointing out and reminding people of. This is, of course, based on the well-known jurisprudential principle among scholars that seeking benefit takes precedence over repelling harm, and the exact opposite applies if the harm that is feared is greater than the benefit he is seeking. We know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to attend the gatherings and clubs of the polytheists, and there is no doubt that many wrongs, and very many, occurred in them. Who among us does not know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), while praying in the Sacred Mosque, was being harmed, and the placenta, debris, and impurities were perhaps placed on his back (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was praying? But he used to attend the gatherings to fulfill his duty of calling them to the oneness of Allah, as is known from his biography (peace and blessings be upon him). However, alongside this, when Allah opened up Makkah for him and he entered and prayed inside the Ka'bah, and the Lady A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to follow her Prophet and husband and pray inside the Ka'bah, he (peace be upon him) said to her: . He (peace be upon him) said, and here is the point: . So, he (peace be upon him) left the Ka'bah in the state of deficiency in which the Arabs had rebuilt it during the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Why? He said: . He (peace and blessings be upon him) feared that those who had recently embraced Islam, if they saw the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) demolish the Ka'bah, would say, "He has left us nothing, not even the Sacred House of Allah, and he has demolished it." So, the Messenger (peace be upon him) established for us the wisdom of enjoining good and forbidding evil through such kind words. If a man attends a scene or place containing wrongs and innovations in order to rectify it, he is rewarded for that. As for if he does not know that it is a wrong and an innovation, he owes nothing, and his intention is as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said. I think you have received the answer and more.
Abu Layla : Of course, Shaykh, this includes the houses of mourning, meaning those that some people...

The Shaykh : That is it.
Abu Layla : Some of our brothers go to them...

The Shaykh: Yes.