Is It Permissible to Attend Non-Muslim Prayers at School Assemblies?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

Is it permissible to attend non-Muslim prayers at school assemblies without participating or showing reverence?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Attending a Non-Muslim School

It is permissible to attend a non-Muslim school, such as a Catholic school, provided that one is not forced to engage in the religious practices of that faith.

Merely attending such a school is not impermissible in itself. The matter only becomes problematic if a person is required to participate in actions that contradict the teachings of Islam.

Engaging in the Religious Practices of Other Faiths

As believers, we do not engage in the worship of other religions, nor do we take part in their religious festivals. We have been forbidden from the religious practices of other faiths.

We believe the Quran to be true. We know it is true. We know that the message of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) is true. Therefore, worshipping other deities or affirming false beliefs found in other religions directly contradicts the teachings of Islam.

Engaging in such worship can be very dangerous, and it is not permissible to participate in it.

What to Do During a School Assembly

If a Muslim attends such a school and finds themselves in an assembly where a hymn is being sung or a religious act is taking place, they may simply stand without participating.

The proper response in such a situation is to stand and dislike the act in one’s heart. One should hate the fact that worship, which is deserved by Allah Most High, is being directed toward something that He has forbidden humanity to worship.

This inward rejection preserves one’s faith while avoiding outward participation.

Freedom of Belief and Personal Responsibility

At the same time, others are free to practice their own faith. They have the free will to choose and practice whatever religion they wish.

We are not here to force faith upon anyone. If someone willingly accepts Islam, they are most welcome. Otherwise, they are free to choose what they want.

Ultimately, we will all stand before Allah Most High for judgment.

However, as believers, we do not involve ourselves in the religious practices of other faiths.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr. Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr. Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.