What is the ruling on a shaykh who calls people to perform the 'Ishā' and Tarāwīḥ prayers in the open desert before Ramadan, leaving the mosque empty, and when advised to wait and consult scholars, he replies that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded us to consult our hearts?

It is not permissible to abandon mosques, and it is better to pray inside the mosque. However, there is no harm in praying outside it when there is a need. The people of the mosque should abandon disputes and refer to the people of knowledge when there is a disagreement. As for the hadith, "Consult your heart," it does not mean abandoning asking the people of knowledge; rather, it is specific to one whose heart Allah has illuminated with the light of certainty or to an incident that concerns a specific person.