The Ruling on Officials in Muslim Countries Attending Churches
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
In some Muslim countries, some of the officials go to the church with the priests and Christians and break their fast during the days of Ramadan. They say: It is so that they may invite them to not have problems between them?
Answer:
This is not advisable. This is a type of companionship. Inviting them and then leaving is one thing, but eating with them and drinking with them is a type of companionship and a type of association.
Q: Also, this same state is one of the Muslim countries, or it generally belongs to Islam. So, one time, the Pope, who is the head of the priests from his country, was brought to this Muslim town. They made him the imam, and the state, those with them, and some of the people prayed behind him?
A: I seek refuge in Allah. This is a false composition. The prayer is not valid. This is a false composition, ignorance. One does not pray behind a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah). The prayer is invalid. They must repeat it.
Q: No, after the prayer...
A: A voluntary prayer, meaning.
Q: Yes, that is right.
A: In any case, the intention is that it is invalid, whether it is a voluntary prayer or an obligatory one. It is not permissible to pray behind him. The composition (reconciliation) is done by calling to Allah, by giving him money, by providing food like a welcome feast, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) honored the delegation of Thaqif and treated them well, and they were disbelievers, to reconcile them to Islam. The delegation of Najran was also from the perspective of reconciliation. He gives them tea, coffee, lunch, and dinner. This is a guest, the right of the guest and reconciliation. But for a person to visit them in their places and eat with them, no, this is a type of companionship.
Q: Remaining from the topic, the people of the Sunnah in that town criticized the state and those who prayed behind them, saying: We prayed with them for the sake of peace?
A: If the scholars convey the message, that is sufficient. If they conveyed to the state, the people of knowledge, and conveyed to them the truth and the obligation, then the responsibility is cleared. So, the state has no hand above it except the hand of Allah. But the scholars must clarify and explain that this is not permissible. And praise be to Allah, upon you is only the conveyance.
In some Muslim countries, some of the officials go to the church with the priests and Christians and break their fast during the days of Ramadan. They say: It is so that they may invite them to not have problems between them?
Answer:
This is not advisable. This is a type of companionship. Inviting them and then leaving is one thing, but eating with them and drinking with them is a type of companionship and a type of association.
Q: Also, this same state is one of the Muslim countries, or it generally belongs to Islam. So, one time, the Pope, who is the head of the priests from his country, was brought to this Muslim town. They made him the imam, and the state, those with them, and some of the people prayed behind him?
A: I seek refuge in Allah. This is a false composition. The prayer is not valid. This is a false composition, ignorance. One does not pray behind a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah). The prayer is invalid. They must repeat it.
Q: No, after the prayer...
A: A voluntary prayer, meaning.
Q: Yes, that is right.
A: In any case, the intention is that it is invalid, whether it is a voluntary prayer or an obligatory one. It is not permissible to pray behind him. The composition (reconciliation) is done by calling to Allah, by giving him money, by providing food like a welcome feast, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) honored the delegation of Thaqif and treated them well, and they were disbelievers, to reconcile them to Islam. The delegation of Najran was also from the perspective of reconciliation. He gives them tea, coffee, lunch, and dinner. This is a guest, the right of the guest and reconciliation. But for a person to visit them in their places and eat with them, no, this is a type of companionship.
Q: Remaining from the topic, the people of the Sunnah in that town criticized the state and those who prayed behind them, saying: We prayed with them for the sake of peace?
A: If the scholars convey the message, that is sufficient. If they conveyed to the state, the people of knowledge, and conveyed to them the truth and the obligation, then the responsibility is cleared. So, the state has no hand above it except the hand of Allah. But the scholars must clarify and explain that this is not permissible. And praise be to Allah, upon you is only the conveyance.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.