Living with the People of the Book in one house
Fatwa No: 10327

Question

One of my relatives lives in a house that is inhabited by Christians and I found them eating together.
Is it permissible to eat with Christians and share their home?
Is it permissible to perform prayers in that house, noting that it is full of pictures and the mosque is far?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Muslim must be cautious not to socialize with Jews and Christians, live with them, take comfort in their company or have them as friends. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

•        {O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.} [Quran 5:51]

•        {O you who believe, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.} [Quran 3:118]

•        {And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allaah any protectors; then you would not be helped.} [Quran 11:113]

It is narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , said that any Muslim who associates with, lives with, agrees with or accompanies a disbeliever is like him. [Abu-Daawood: Hasan (Sound)]

It was also narrated on the authority of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that he disassociated himself from any Muslim who lived among disbelievers, and said that a Muslim must not live in a place close enough to them such that he can see their fire and they can see his, for they would never be in agreement. [Abu-Daawood & At-Tirmithi]

Ash-Shawkaani said that the first Hadeeth includes evidence to prohibit living with disbelievers and the obligation to desert them. A Muslim has to live in a place where he cannot see disbelievers and disbelievers cannot see him. 

You must advise your relative not to stay with them, for this usually breeds love and affection. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {You will not find a people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred.} [Quran 58:22] 

A Muslim man must also perform the five obligatory prayers in congregation unless the mosque is so far that he cannot hear the Athaan (call to prayer), in which case he may pray in his house if there are no pictures (of animate objects) therein.     

Allaah Knows best.

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