Reported by Ahmad (No.19875, 19968) and Abu Daud (No.4319), and it is in “As-Sahih Al-Musnad” (No.1019), on the authority of Imraan bin Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjaal, let him keep away from him, for by Allah, a man will come to him thinking that he is a believer, and he will follow him because of the doubts he puts forth”.
Imam Ibn Battah, may Allah have mercy on him, said in “Al-Ibaanah Al-Kubraa” (v.2, p.469), after mentioning this hadith: “This is the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he is the truthful and the one that is believed. So, O Muslims, beware! Do not let any of you, based on his good opinion of himself and his knowledge of the correctness of his creed, lead him to risk his religion by sitting with some of the people of these Desires, saying: “I go to them to debate with them, or to extract their creed from them”.
He, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Their words stick more firmly than scabies and burn hearts more than flames. I saw a group of people who cursed and insulted them, and then they sat with them in order to denounce and refute them. There was easy-going with them, hidden cunningness , and subtle disblief until they were drawn to them”.
📚I said:
I do not know anyone, who we knew to be lenient in teaching in the Masjids of Innovators whose outward appearance was good and soundness, then their religion was kept safe for him. Rather, they deviated and regressed! Wallaahul-musta'aan!
Yes, what was mentioned above does not prevent calling the people of Innovation to the Sunnah with wisdom, good preaching and advising them. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, debated the Khawaarij, and two thousand of them returned. However, this has its rules and restrictions, and not every Sunni is suitable for this.
Rather, it is only suitable for the one who has knowledge, perception, discernment, penetrating insight and knowledge of the ins and outs of the people of Innovation, and then they saw the benefit of this to be overriding.
As for opening lessons and delivering it in the Masjids of Innovators, as if they were Masjids of the Sunnah or Masjids of the layfolk, this is an incorrect act, and no one who does it is safe from this act.
Whoever was to know from the people of Innovation to be accepting to advice or some of it, then he should continue to advise them.
If the Masjid was being run by the people of Desires, and if it was beneficial that to enter it to give them admonishment and advice, and it was hoped that Ahlussunnah would be given the Masjid due to doing so, then there is no issue to enter and to give them advice and good preaching in a way that would be free from Fitnah for the preacher and the advisor, and the taking of the benefits in consideration in this should be by one who is qualified for it; as from among the objectives of the Sharee'ah in the abandoning of the Innovators is the directing them to repent and return to the truth.
Ibn Haani’ said in “Masaa'il Al-Imam Ahmad” (v.2, p.153): “I asked Abu Abdullah about a man who is an Innovator and a caller who calls to their Innovation, should they be sat with?”. He said: “He should not be sat with, nor should he be spoken to, so perhaps he will return”.
Al-Khattaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in “Ma'alim As-Sunan” (v.4, p.296): “The boycotting of the people of Desires and Innovations is permanent throughout the ages and times, as long as they do not show repentance and returning to the truth”.
And having caution in all of this is something requested and commanded in the legislation. In the two Sahihs, on the authority of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this verse: