Accepting the invitation of a fasiq and greeting him with salam

Question

Question: If some fasiq (open transgressor) is caught up in fisq (transgression) — for example, he trims his beard or is caught up in some other fisq — what is the ruling on eating at his invitation or greeting him with salam? Our religious scholar here says it is makruh tahrimi. If this is correct, then on the tabligh rounds the speaker usually has to take the initiative in this matter. So what course should be adopted?

Answer

If a person is caught up in fisq and there is hope that greeting him with salam or accepting his invitation will lead to his reform, then he should both be greeted with salam and have his invitation accepted — provided that he does not feed from haram wealth. If reform is to be expected from not greeting him or not accepting his invitation, then they should refrain.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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