Praying in a Masjid involved in Possible Shirk & Sectarian Practices or at Home ?

Question: I have a Barelvi masjid near me, they say wahabi deobandi and tableegh should not enter the masiid and are not allowed to pray there and they also make dua to gaus-e-azam (abdul Qadir jilani) to bless them so is it permissible for me to pray there as I pray at home?

Praise be to Allah

Summary:

You must not pray there. If there is no other masjid, praying at home is recommended.

Detailed Answer:

In a world where our mosques should be sanctuaries of unity, the question arises: What happens when one becomes a ground for division and people are not permitted to to offer salah and are calling upon the dead.

The Quran admonishes us in Surah Yunus (10:106),

“Invoke not, besides Allah, that which will neither benefit you nor hurt you, for if you did, you would certainly be of the wrongdoers.”

This verse forms a clear guideline: our supplications should ascend directly to Allah, the sole source of all benefit and harm.

Faced with such significant differences, how should one respond?

Those equipped with knowledge might gently offer dawah, guiding discussions with grace and well-grounded arguments.

However, confrontations within the mosque, the house of Allah, must be avoided. These sacred spaces demand our highest respect, even in times of disagreement. If dawah does not yield change and if there is open violation of Allah’s command are being committed than it is best to pray at home if no other mosque is available. This not only ensures the purity of one’s spiritual practice but also upholds the sanctity of personal faith against communal discord.

Conclusion

When the very place meant to unify us under the banner of Islam becomes a source of division and Shirk, choosing isolation over participation might sometimes be the wiser path. By praying at home, one preserves personal integrity . Meanwhile, we continue to pray for unity and guidance for all, trusting in Allah’s overarching wisdom to eventually bring guidance to all.

And Allah Knows Best