
❖ Question
What do the scholars of Islam and jurists say regarding a situation where community leaders or individuals attempt to restrict a mosque for only one group — for example, allowing only those who say "Āmīn" silently to pray there, and prohibiting those who say it aloud, or vice versa? Is it Islamically permissible, especially according to the Hanafi school of thought, to limit access to Allah’s house in this manner?❖ Answer
Both saying "Āmīn" silently and aloud are supported by Hadith. Neither method constitutes shirk (polytheism), kufr (disbelief), or bid‘ah (innovation).Islam does not permit preventing anyone from entering a mosque and offering Salah, except disbelievers, polytheists, or open innovators. Otherwise, such behavior falls under the warning of the Qur’anic verse:
﴿وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ ﴾
“And who is more unjust than the one who prevents the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques?”
Therefore, those who say Āmīn aloud must not bar those who say it silently, and vice versa. No group has the right to reserve a mosque exclusively for their style of prayer.
(Syed Sulaiman Nadwi, Azamgarh – Akhbar Muhammadi, Delhi, Vol. 6, Issue 7)