Is it permissible to pray in mosques that contain shrines?
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The questioner : Is it permissible to pray in mosques that contain shrines? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Questions about this are very numerous, and we have previously clarified that mosques containing shrines do not escape two situations. The first situation is that the mosque is built on top of the grave. In this case, the mosque must be demolished, and it is not permissible to pray in it. Whoever prays in it, his prayer is invalid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 703Sahih (Darussalam) This indicates that making graves into mosques is a cause of the curse of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and a major sin. And since it is a major sin, it is obligatory to rid oneself of it and repent to Allah from it.
As for the second situation, it is that the mosque existed before the grave, meaning that when a person died, he was buried in the mosque itself. In this case, this grave must be exhumed and its owner buried in the place where his like is buried. If this is difficult, then prayer in this mosque is permissible, but the grave must not be in front of the worshippers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade praying toward graves.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Questions about this are very numerous, and we have previously clarified that mosques containing shrines do not escape two situations. The first situation is that the mosque is built on top of the grave. In this case, the mosque must be demolished, and it is not permissible to pray in it. Whoever prays in it, his prayer is invalid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
May Allah curse the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.
لعنة الله على اليهود والنصارى اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدAs for the second situation, it is that the mosque existed before the grave, meaning that when a person died, he was buried in the mosque itself. In this case, this grave must be exhumed and its owner buried in the place where his like is buried. If this is difficult, then prayer in this mosque is permissible, but the grave must not be in front of the worshippers, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade praying toward graves.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.