Ruling on calling a mosque Ahl al-Hadeeth

The majority of scholars
have allowed broad scope in the naming of mosques; thus they have permitted
calling them anything that will distinguish them from one another, such as
the names of Prophets, scholars, the righteous, the names of those who built
them, the names of countries or cities in which they are located, or the
tribes who live in those areas, and so on. They quote as evidence for that
the report narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (no. 420) which states that
one of the mosques was called Masjid Bani Zurayq. This has been discussed in
the answer to question no. 71301. 

We will quote here from the
Fatwas of the Standing Committee (vol. 2, 5/280-284), a lengthy fatwa that
has to do with this topic: 

Firstly:
                               

By studying the names of
mosques we found that their names may be categories as follows: 

1.Named after the one who built
it. This comes under the heading of attributing righteous deeds to those who
do them and is also a name that is based on some facts and serves to
differentiate between mosques. This is permissible. Examples include Masjid
al-Nabi or the Mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), which is also called Masjid Rasool-Allaah or the Mosque of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

2.Named after those who pray in
it [i.e., the tribe, congregation, neighbourhood who usually pray in it], or
after the place, which is also a name that is based on some facts and serves
to differentiate between mosques. This is also permissible. Examples
include: Masjid Quba’, and Masjid Banu Zurayq, as mentioned in
al-Saheehayn in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) which mentions the race to Masjid Bani Zurayq and Masjid al-Sooq.
Al-Bukhaari included it in a chapter entitled Chapter of the scholars in
Masjid al-Sooq.

3.Named after a distinguishing
characteristic, such as al-Masjid al-Haraam and al-Masjid al-Aqsa, as in the
aayah in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Glorified
(and Exalted) be He (Allaah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]
Who took His slave (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)
for a journey by night from Al‑Masjid Al‑Haraam (at Makkah) to Al‑Masjid
Al‑Aqsa (in Jerusalem)” [al-Isra’ 17:1]. In the Sunnah it is proven via
several isnaads that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “Mounts are not to be prepared for travelling to any mosques
except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam, al-Masjid al-Aqsa and this mosque of
mine.” Another example is al-Masjid al-Kabeer. One of the mosques on the
route between Makkah and Madeenah is called al-Masjid al-Akbar, as it says
in Saheeh al-Bukhaari; similarly a mosque may be called al-Jaami’
al-Kabeer.

Secondly: 

Calling a mosque by a name
that is not connected to any facts in order to distinguish it and by which
it may be known is a phenomenon that is widespread nowadays because many
mosques are being built, praise be to Allaah, in Muslim lands, in cities and
in villages, even in a single neighbourhood. So mosques are given names to
distinguish them, and names are chosen to call the mosque after one of the
prominent figures of Islam among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with
them) and the Taabi’een who followed them in truth, such as Masjid Abi Bakr
(may Allaah be pleased with him), Masjid ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) and so on, to distinguish them from one another. There does not seem to
be anything wrong with giving mosques names like these, especially since it
is known that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
gave names to his weapons, furnishings, mounts and clothes, as was stated by
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) at the beginning of his book
Zaad al-Ma’aad. 

Thirdly: 

Naming a mosque after one
of the names of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, such as Masjid
al-Rahmaan, Masjid al-Quddoos, Masjid al-Salaam. It is well known that
Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mosques are for
Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah” [al-Jinn 72:18].
All the mosques are for Allaah, without needing to be singled out, so
calling a mosque by one of the names of Allaah so as to distinguish it from
other mosques is an innovated matter which was not done in the past, so it
is better not to do it. And Allaah is the guide to the straight path. End
quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah. 

See the book Ahkaam
al-Masaajid (2/86) by Ibraaheem al-Khudayri. 

Based on the above, the
basic principle is that there is nothing wrong with calling a mosque Masjid
Ahl al-Hadeeth, as it is naming it after an acceptable and legitimate
characteristic. This name, among the scholars, is a kind of praise and
mentioning something good, so calling a mosque by this name is something
sound and there is nothing wrong with it, in sha Allaah. 

This ruling has to do with
the general principles, but before applying it to your mosque, we should
look at the situation in your land. If attributing yourself to Ahl
al-Hadeeth, or calling yourself by their name, or calling your mosque “Ahl
al-Hadeeth” will result in creating division among the Muslims, or stir up
resentment in their hearts, or revive jaahili tribalism and create fitnah
and troubles among the Muslims, then it is better not to use this name, and
even avoid permissible matters of higher importance if doing them will
result in any of these evils. All that can be said about giving your mosque
this name is that it is a permissible matter that you decided to give up.
Among the permissible names you have those that will unite people and not
cause division, names that will attract people and not put them off, and
that should be sufficient. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) denounced calling with permissible names if the motive is
fanatical devotion to anything other than the truth. 

It was narrated that Jaabir
ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

We were with the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a campaign,
when a man of the Muhaajireen hit a man of the Ansaar from behind. The
Ansaari said: O Ansaar! And the Muhaajir said: O Muhaajireen! The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “What is
this call of Jaahiliyyah?” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, a man of the
Muhaajireen hit a man of the Ansaar from behind. He said: “Stay away from
it, it is disgusting.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(3518) and Muslim (4682). 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

These two names –
Muhaajireen and Ansaar – are Islamically acceptable names which are
mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and Allaah called them by these names,
as Allaah calls us Muslims. For a man to attribute himself to the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar is something good and praiseworthy before Allaah and
His Messenger. It is not only permissible for the purpose of distinction,
such as when one attributes oneself to a tribe or country; it is not
something disliked or haraam, such as when one attributes oneself to
something that may lead to bid’ah or sin. Nevertheless, when each of them
called a group to help him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) denounced that and called it the call of Jaahiliyyah, until it
was said to him that those who were giving this call were young men, and
that did not come from the group, in which case he ordered that the
wrongdoer be stopped and the one who was wronged be helped. 

Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem (71) 

And Allaah knows best.