Question:
Assalamu Alaykum Muhtaram Mufti Saheb,
Given the spread and propagation of Interfaith and the Abrahamic Religion, what is the Shar`i ruling on performing Salaah in a multi-faith prayer room? Multi-faith prayer rooms are now found at airports, petrol stations, malls, offices, etc. Some multi-faith prayer rooms have the symbols for each religion, at together, displayed on the wall or door.
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Answer:
اَلـجَـــــوَابُ حَــامِـــــداً وَّمُــصَلِّــــياً
Our response to your query is as follows:
Generally, one will find that at airports, petrol stations and other public spaces, one is easily able to perform Salaah by placing ones Musallah (prayer mat) down in a corner or open space. Thus, in the absence of a exclusively designated room for Muslims (Jamaat Khana/Musallah), one should perform Salaah in the open and not in a multi-faith prayer room (especially with the dangerous spread of the interfaith ideology in vogue). This will also serve as a form of Da`wah to the Kufaar as pointed out by our Akaabir Ulema. Yes, if there are restrictions on performing Salaah in the open, then, as a last resort, one may perform Salaah in a multi-faith prayer room, provided one covers all remnants of Kufr and Shirk and one performs one`s Salaah when the room is empty of Kufaar engaging in their Kufr and Shirk.
AND ALLĀH TAALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
Answered by: Ml Ridhwaan Moosa
Checked and approved by: Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb D.B.
1 صحيح البخاري 438
حَدَّثَنَا جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ; أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي، نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، وَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً، وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ كَافَّةً، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ