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A Non-Muslim Joining Muslims in Prayer: OK?

26 June, 2018
Q As-Salamu `alaykum. Last week at an Interfaith meeting at our mosque, a Christian prayed in the line with the Muslim brothers at `Isha’. He had no wudu’, and it was a Muslim brother who had told him to 'watch and follow' him. A number of the brothers were upset. No one seemed to know how this situation should be viewed, or handled. Since it may arise in the future, we need to know what to do. There were those who condemned - not the Christian, but the Muslim brother who is NOT ignorant about Islam. Then there were those who were gentle. What should we do if similar situations arise in the future?

Answer

Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi
26 June, 2018

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:
1- Muslims should be kind and gentle when dealing with all people, including non-Muslims, so that they will have the chance to see the true Islam through their practical good behavior.

2- Therefore, if a non-Muslim, out of respect for Muslims or in order to learn Islamic prayer, joins them in prayer, he/she is allowed to do so.

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Responding to your question, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:

Muslims must pray with wudu, but if a non-Muslim, out of respect for Muslims or in order to learn Islamic prayer, joins them in prayer, he/she is allowed to do so.

This may be a way for this person to come closer to Islam, and Allah may lead him/her to the right path.

Also, as a rule we should know that if a Muslim prays without wudu, his/her prayer is not valid, but it does not invalidate the prayers of those who are standing in the same line with him/her.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.