Q 1: We live in a small village whose people adhere to the Sunnah from a long time ago. This is from the virtue of Allah, and then the efforts of our ancestors (may Allah be merciful with them). I accompanied some of them, and Allah made them a reason for my guidance. I tried my best, praise be to Allah, to spread the Sunnah in the country, and work for Da`wah (call to Allah) to the utmost of my ability. I lead people in Salah (prayer) since 1977, and after the incidents that have happened in Egypt recently, the ministry of Waqfs (Endowments) sent a Khatib (preacher) to the Masjid (mosque) of our village. At the beginning, this Khatib convinced us that he would pursue the same Manhaj (methodology) we adopt, and after he became firmly established in the Masjid, he began propagating the idea of putting a radio in the Masjid for people to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an before the Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer, as is done in other Masjids in Egypt. Of course, there were many ignorant followers who agreed with him, and they put a radio connected to a loudspeakers before Salah. I personally tried to prevent him from this act.I even exposed him to the evidences stating the impermissibility of reciting the Qur'an loudly where people offer their Salah, and that such a deed is nothing but reviving a Bid`ah (innovation in religion) and nullifying an act of Sunnah. He responded by arguing that if this was prohibited, then why is it widespread in all Masjids of Egypt? The matter has gone so far that they placed the body of a dead person in the bier right in front of the people before Jumu`ah Prayer, and after finishing it, we offered Funeral Prayer for him. I tried to prevent him from doing this before (Part No. 2; Page No. 543) Jumu`ah (Friday) Prayer due to the impermissibility of such a deed, but he refused and said that this is the opinion of Imam Malik who sees that it as a lesson for the living. I told him that Imam Malik regarded offering Funeral prayer in all Masjids as Makruh (disliked). However, he remained deaf to my opinion, and was apparently convinced of his own. The path for newly invented Bid`ahs has been paved by the coming of this Khatib, and there will be more of such Bid`ahs. I am really perplexed and do not know what to do, especially that there are those who want to adhere to the Sunnah, and shun the way to Bid`ah. It should be taken into consideration that this is the only Masjid in the village, and I am thinking of deserting this Masjid, and offering Salah in one of the Sunni Masjids in Alexandria. However, if I do that, more kinds of Bid`ahs will find their way, and those willing to adhere to the Sunnah will be without help, not to mention their inability to offer Salah in other Sunni Masjids due to their scarcity in the rural areas and the countryside.

A: Firstly: It is not permissible to put a radio or the like to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an loudly in the Masjid on Friday before the Imam ascends the pulpit. Secondly: It is permissible to offer the Funeral Prayer in a Masjid according to the most preponderant opinion of scholars which is supported by the sound evidences. However, the body of the dead person should not be placed in front of the people until the obligatory prayer is finished, then the bier is to be put between them and the Qiblah (Ka`bah-direction faced in Prayer) to offer the Funeral Prayer. Thirdly: You should not desert Salah with the said Imam for the matters you have mentioned, and you are entitled to keep advising him, and explaining to him what is in accordance with the Sunnah (Part No. 2; Page No. 544) supporting what you say with sound evidences from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and with wisdom, good preaching, and in a way that is best. May Allah guide him to respond to your advise.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.