What is the ruling on praying in a mosque that adheres to the strict Hanafi school of thought, which prohibits raising the voice when saying "Ameen" and placing the hands on the chest, and compels worshippers to follow their tradition? Is it permissible to pray with them out of fear of expulsion or separation from Salafism?
First: Raising the voice with the "Amin" (Amen) and the placement of hands in prayer are matters of scholarly disagreement. Some scholars hold the view of vocalizing the "Amin" in prayers recited aloud, while others advocate for lowering the voice. Some believe in placing the hands above the navel, and others below it. All these interpretations are permissible.
Second: These matters pertain to the supererogatory acts (sunan) of prayer, and disagreement regarding them does not lead one outside the Sunnah. Congregational prayer is obligatory, so it should not be abandoned for the sake of supererogatory acts.
Third: The unity and cohesion of Muslims is a great jurisprudential objective. Sometimes, what is considered preferable may be abandoned to achieve this objective, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, refrained from rebuilding the Kaaba on the foundations of Ibrahim for the sake of unifying hearts. Therefore, maintaining congregational prayer and the unity of worshippers takes precedence over adhering to supererogatory acts that might cause discord.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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