Benefits of the Hadith: (Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent out a cavalry, and they came back with a man . . .)
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The Shaykh : It contains evidence for the permissibility of tying up a prisoner in general, whether in the mosque, the market, or the house. The important thing is tying up the prisoner. The imam has the choice regarding the prisoner between killing him, freeing him for free, freeing him in exchange for a Muslim prisoner, yes, and ransoming him with a Muslim prisoner, or ransoming him with money or benefit. He has the choice in this. Is this choice based on his personal desire and will, or based on the public interest?
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : The second reason is that everyone who has authority over something must consider the public interest in what he is given the choice over, not his own personal interest. This man: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) chose from these four options, what?
The student: Freeing him.
The Shaykh : That he should free him. If a person knows that this prisoner, if he is freed, because he is noble, sees that freeing him is a great thing, then let us free him, and the outcome and result will be good.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the permissibility of a disbeliever entering the mosque. The permissibility of a disbeliever entering the mosque, because Thumamah was not tied to the pillar until after what? After he entered the mosque. So is it permissible for a disbeliever to enter the mosque, or is it not permissible? Some scholars say it is not permissible absolutely, and they cited as evidence the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:28] And they said that if the disbeliever is prevented from entering the Haram of Makkah, and even if it is in other than the mosques, then the mosques . . . are all the more so. And they answered regarding the hadith of Thumamah that it was abrogated. But this is not correct, because Makkah and its Haram have a degree of sanctity, honor, and respect that others do not have. For this reason, there is no place where it is prescribed for one who intends to go there to enter the state of ihram except what? Except Makkah. It is not possible to compare others to it. And the claim of abrogation requires two things: first, knowledge of the timing, and second, the impossibility of reconciling the texts. If reconciling the texts is not impossible, it is obligatory. And if we do not know the timing, we must suspend judgment. So, the correct view is that it is permissible for a disbeliever to enter the mosque. But is this without condition or with condition? It must be with condition.
If we know that he entered the mosque to take pictures to show to his people and say, "Look at the mosques of the Muslims, and look at how our churches are adorned with gold and covered with engravings, and the like," and these are the mosques of the Muslims, then this is strictly prohibited. He cannot be allowed to enter the mosque because of what is in that? Harm to the Muslims. So this is prohibited.
Likewise, if there is a fear of him harming the mosque, harming the mosque itself, such as tearing up its carpets and ruining its lights, and the like, then he is prohibited without doubt. Because if this were done by a non-disbeliever, he would be prevented, so how much more so a disbeliever?
The third is that he enters the mosque for the benefit of the mosque, such as a technical engineer who enters to repair the mosque, or to repair its lights, or its sound system, or the like. Then there is no doubt that it is permissible, because his entry now is for the benefit of the mosque, and there is no harm in his entry.
The fourth is that he enters the mosque to observe the prayer of the Muslims, not with the intention of mocking them, but to learn about Islam, how it is, and how its worship is. Is this permissible or not? It is permissible, indeed it is required. If we know that in that there is a call for him to Islam, then it is required. The fifth or the sixth?
The student: The fifth.
The Shaykh : The fifth is that he enters the mosque to benefit from his entry, such as if he enters to drink from the refrigerator in the mosque, or enters the mosque for a cool breeze, or for the heat of the sun, or the like. Here, do we allow him to enter or not? We allow him to enter so that he sees that there is room in Islam, and that Islam considers the interest of people, if there is no harm to the religion. And the rule is that if the entry of a disbeliever into the mosque entails harm to the mosque or to the reputation of the Muslims, then it is prohibited. And if it is for the benefit of the entrant, to drink water, or to take shade from the sun, or to protect himself from cold, then it is permissible. And if it is for the call to Islam and knowing the actions of the Muslims in their prayer, then it is required. This is required because there is benefit in it. And likewise, if it is for the benefit of the mosque, if no Muslim is available to take his place. If a Muslim is found who can take his place, then it is not recommended to bring a disbeliever.
And from the benefits of this hadith is that in the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) there are pillars, meaning what? Meaning columns. And this is known. But the fewer the columns in the mosque, the better, so that the columns do not come between the worshippers.
If someone asks, "Is it permissible for people to pray in congregation in a row between the columns?" We say: As for if the column is small and does not break the row, then there is no harm. But as for if it is wide and breaks the row, then this is disliked, except if necessity calls for it, such as in the two Harams, for example, during the seasons. Then people need to stand between the pillars, even if their size is large, because necessity calls for it.
And from him, meaning from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We stop here because now it has come . . . Yes.
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : The second reason is that everyone who has authority over something must consider the public interest in what he is given the choice over, not his own personal interest. This man: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) chose from these four options, what?
The student: Freeing him.
The Shaykh : That he should free him. If a person knows that this prisoner, if he is freed, because he is noble, sees that freeing him is a great thing, then let us free him, and the outcome and result will be good.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the permissibility of a disbeliever entering the mosque. The permissibility of a disbeliever entering the mosque, because Thumamah was not tied to the pillar until after what? After he entered the mosque. So is it permissible for a disbeliever to enter the mosque, or is it not permissible? Some scholars say it is not permissible absolutely, and they cited as evidence the saying of Allah the Exalted:
O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year
يا أيّها الذين آمنوا إنّما المشركون نجس فلا يقربوا المسجد الحرام بعد عامهم هذاIf we know that he entered the mosque to take pictures to show to his people and say, "Look at the mosques of the Muslims, and look at how our churches are adorned with gold and covered with engravings, and the like," and these are the mosques of the Muslims, then this is strictly prohibited. He cannot be allowed to enter the mosque because of what is in that? Harm to the Muslims. So this is prohibited.
Likewise, if there is a fear of him harming the mosque, harming the mosque itself, such as tearing up its carpets and ruining its lights, and the like, then he is prohibited without doubt. Because if this were done by a non-disbeliever, he would be prevented, so how much more so a disbeliever?
The third is that he enters the mosque for the benefit of the mosque, such as a technical engineer who enters to repair the mosque, or to repair its lights, or its sound system, or the like. Then there is no doubt that it is permissible, because his entry now is for the benefit of the mosque, and there is no harm in his entry.
The fourth is that he enters the mosque to observe the prayer of the Muslims, not with the intention of mocking them, but to learn about Islam, how it is, and how its worship is. Is this permissible or not? It is permissible, indeed it is required. If we know that in that there is a call for him to Islam, then it is required. The fifth or the sixth?
The student: The fifth.
The Shaykh : The fifth is that he enters the mosque to benefit from his entry, such as if he enters to drink from the refrigerator in the mosque, or enters the mosque for a cool breeze, or for the heat of the sun, or the like. Here, do we allow him to enter or not? We allow him to enter so that he sees that there is room in Islam, and that Islam considers the interest of people, if there is no harm to the religion. And the rule is that if the entry of a disbeliever into the mosque entails harm to the mosque or to the reputation of the Muslims, then it is prohibited. And if it is for the benefit of the entrant, to drink water, or to take shade from the sun, or to protect himself from cold, then it is permissible. And if it is for the call to Islam and knowing the actions of the Muslims in their prayer, then it is required. This is required because there is benefit in it. And likewise, if it is for the benefit of the mosque, if no Muslim is available to take his place. If a Muslim is found who can take his place, then it is not recommended to bring a disbeliever.
And from the benefits of this hadith is that in the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) there are pillars, meaning what? Meaning columns. And this is known. But the fewer the columns in the mosque, the better, so that the columns do not come between the worshippers.
If someone asks, "Is it permissible for people to pray in congregation in a row between the columns?" We say: As for if the column is small and does not break the row, then there is no harm. But as for if it is wide and breaks the row, then this is disliked, except if necessity calls for it, such as in the two Harams, for example, during the seasons. Then people need to stand between the pillars, even if their size is large, because necessity calls for it.
And from him, meaning from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). We stop here because now it has come . . . Yes.