Question: Two friends belonging to other faiths have been observing the fast and offering prayers. A brother of ours told them that their fasting and praying were sinful and advised them not to do so anymore.
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He also pointed out that they had not undergone circumcision nor recited the Kalima (declaration of faith). Can they observe the fast or offer prayers? Will they receive any spiritual reward for doing so?
Kudavasal M. Kamal Batcha, Mylai.
Answer: There are two aspects to this matter. The first is whether we should stop such people.
The second is whether they derive any benefit from these actions.
During the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), there were individuals who had not accepted Islam yet participated alongside Muslims in prayers and other acts of worship. In fact, some even accompanied the Prophet to the battlefield.
They had not embraced Islam; the Quran revealed to the Prophet that some were merely pretending for the sake of self-interest or worldly gain, and their identities were disclosed.
Nevertheless, the Prophet (PBUH) never forbade any of them from performing Islamic acts of worship. Such individuals remained present until the final days of the Prophet's life.
The people you refer to are not opportunists merely putting on an act. They have genuinely come to appreciate certain aspects of Islam. Drawn to these practices, they may well harbor a sincere desire to adopt other aspects of the faith as well.
They could even be considered superior to those born as Muslims who engage in the worship of graves.
There is no connection between performing acts of worship and undergoing circumcision. In Islam, circumcision is regarded as a desirable and beneficial practice, but it is not prescribed as a mandatory obligation. The term 'Sunnah' refers to a practice of the Prophet that is desirable but not a mandatory obligation.
It is indeed essential to believe in and verbally affirm the core Islamic tenet: "There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah."
None of us can issue a certificate confirming whether someone truly possesses faith or not; however, one demonstrates that faith through acts such as prayer and fasting.
The Prophet (PBUH) stated that whoever prays our prayer, faces our Qibla, and eats what we have slaughtered is a Muslim and is entitled to all the rights of a Muslim.
(Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 378)
Therefore, such individuals should not be turned away; doing so would be a sin.
We are delighted to hear about the rapid spread of Islam in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.
People visit mosques and observe the way Muslims pray for a day or two. Subsequently, they perform Wudu (ablution) just as Muslims do and join in the prayers. Finding spiritual fulfillment in this experience, they embrace Islam. While Islam spreads in various ways, this is a very common method.
Thus, instead of driving such people away, if we teach them the proper etiquettes, they may eventually reach a level where they are capable of offering us guidance themselves.
This is something that those who obstruct others need to understand.
For those brothers who strive to fulfill obligations like prayer and fasting to reap the rewards in the Hereafter, they must abandon the worship of other deities. The primary matter God considers is that belief in multiple gods and belief in the One God cannot coexist within the same heart.
Prier to these acts of worship, one must acknowledge that there can be only one God for the world. If one also believes that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is His Messenger, then these actions become truly meaningful.