Can a Non-Muslim Enter the Musjid by Mr M S Omar

ON 19 JUNE 2014.

Can a Non-Muslim Enter the Musjid…By Mr M. S. Omar

1. There is a difference of opinion amongst the schools of Islamic law on the question as to whether a non muslim may enter a mosque, arising from the interpretation of verse 28 of Surah At – Taubah : ” O you who believe, Truly, the Mushriks are impure, so let them not approach Al Masjid -al- Haraam after this year of their pilgrimage ” ( The 9th year of Hijrah )

 2. The Hanafi school permits a non muslim to enter any mosque , wherever situate , without qualification. They say that the Holy Prophet ( saw ) allowed the delegation of the tribe of Thaqif ( who at the time were non muslims ) to pitch their tents in the musjid An Nabawi at Madinah. Similarly , Thumamah Ibn Uthal , a chieftain of the Banu Hanifah , a prisoner , was tied to a column in the Prophet’s Mosque. As regards the prohibition contained in verse 28 of Surah Taubah , Imam Abu Hanifah (ra ) has limited its application to the fact that non muslims are prohibited from performing Hajj and Umrah only , but are otherwise permitted to enter all masaajid, including the Sacred mosque. The impurity that is referred to in verse 28 is primarily connected to matters of belief , bearing in mind that the majority of the jurists hold that the physical body of a non muslim is pure. ( See for example , Radd al Muhtar ,ibn Aabideen , and Ahkaam al Quran by al – Jassas )

3. The Shafei and Hanbali schools apply this verse literally , and thereby prohibit a non muslim to enter specifically , only Al – Musjid -ul – Haraam, ( including the whole Haram ) but otherwise they allow a non muslim to enter any other mosque , with permission. ( See , for example, al – Mughni of Ibn Qudamah, volume 10 , page 607 )

4. On the other hand, the Maliki school strictly applies the verse to all mosques and to all non muslims. They accordingly hold that a non muslim is prohibited from entering all the mosques of the world, wherever situate. ( See for example , Tafseer al Qurtubi )

And Allah Knows Best
Mahomed Shoaib Omar