Visiting Abu Dhabi’s Abrahamic Family House and praying there
Question
The Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi encompasses a mosque, a church and a synagogue together. Its website states, “Our vision is for people to come together in peace, diverse in our faiths, yet common in our humanity. Our mission is to bridge our common humanity through the exchange of knowledge, dialogue, and the practice of faith.” It further states, “At the heart of the Abrahamic Family House are a Mosque, a Church and a Synagogue, each established to welcome Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities to practice their individual faiths. The three houses of worship are designed of equal stature, size and materiality to eliminate any sense of hierarchy. The three structures border an elevated landscaped garden that becomes a shared space for gathering and connection. The Mosque is oriented towards Mecca, the Church towards the East and the Synagogue towards Jerusalem.”
The question is whether one should visit such a place and perform Ṣalāh therein?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Answer
One must not visit such a place let alone perform Ṣalāh therein. This is a satanic initiative under the guise of interfaith, similar to the House of Worship and Din-i-Ilahi concept that was established by Emperor Akbar (d. 1014/1605) in India and vehemently opposed by the scholars like Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ḥaq Muḥaddith Dehlawī (d. 1052/1642). The whole initiative is totally against the fundamental teachings of Islam. We pray to Allah Almighty to protect the Ummah from disbelief.
قال الله تعالى: والذين اتخذوا مسجدا ضرارا وكفرا وتفريقا بين المؤمنين وإرصادا لمن حارب الله ورسوله من قبل، وليحلفن إن أردنا إلا الحسنى، والله يشهد إنهم لكاذبون. وقال تعالى: إن الدين عند الله الإسلام. وقال تعالى: ومن يبتغ غير الإسلام دينا فلن يقبل منه. وقال تعالى: ما كان ابراهيم يهوديا ولا نصرانيا ولكن كان حنيفا مسلما وما كان من المشركين۔
وقال البخاري في صحيحه (قبل الحديث رقم ١٣٥٤): وكان ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما مع أمه من المستضعفين، ولم يكن مع أبيه على دين قومه، وقال: الإسلام يعلو ولا يعلى۔
وعن جابر بن عبد الله، أن عمر بن الخطاب أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكتاب أصابه من بعض أهل الكتب، فقرأه على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فغضب وقال: أمتهوكون فيها يا ابن الخطاب، والذي نفسي بيده لقد جئتكم بها بيضاء نقية، لا تسألوهم عن شيء فيخبروكم بحق فتكذبوا به، أو بباطل فتصدقوا به، والذي نفسي بيده لو أن موسى كان حيا، ما وسعه إلا أن يتبعني، رواه أحمد (١٥١٥٦)۔
Allah knows best
Yusuf Shabbir
3 Rabīʿ al-Awwal 1447 / 27 August 2025
Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmed and Mufti Muhammad Tahir
Tawbah (repentance) definition