Leaving an Old Mosque for a New One

Question

There is a mosque that has existed for about a hundred years, in which the five daily prayers and the Friday prayer have been performed all along. But a certain wealthy gentleman built another mosque and began leading the worshippers of the first astray, as a result of which most worshippers now pray in the second mosque. What is to be said of those who lead them astray, and what is the status of the prayer of such worshippers? And will the second mosque have the status of a mosque or not?

Answer

What are the reasons for building the second mosque? If the first mosque lacks space and the worshippers are many, then the second mosque is certainly a mosque, and in such a situation there is no problem with the prayer of the worshippers. However, leading worshippers astray is bad.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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