Which Masjid to go to? What to avoid?

If you are able to go to the Salafi Masjid then I advise you with that and you will gain benefit in performing your prayer in accordance to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah and also that you will benefit from tranquil affability with your brothers and much virtue and moral excellence. For indeed there is a Hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Jaabir Bin ‘Abdullaah, who said: “Some plots of land became vacant around the Masjid therefore Banu Salimah decided to relocate near the Masjid. When the news of that reached the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam), he said to them:   “Indeed it has reached me that you intend to relocate near the Masjid”. They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allaah that is what we have decided”. Thereupon he (the Prophet) said:   “O Banu Salimah, live in your houses, for your steps are recorded; live in your houses, for your steps are recorded”.” Meaning: Stay in your houses which are far away from the Masjid so that your steps are recorded for you. And in the Saheehayn (Sahih al-Bukharee and Saheeh al-Muslim) on the authority of Abu Hurairah (radiAllaahu ‘anhu) that verily the Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who performs ablution and purifies himself well, then leaves to go the Masjid and nothing causes him to go out except for the Prayer, he does not take a step except that it raises him in rank and a sin is removed from him. And if he prays, the angels do not cease to pray for him, as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place): “O Allaah, send prayers upon him, O Allaah, have mercy upon him”. And each one of you is regarded in prayer so long as he is waiting for the Prayer.” Hence, if they are able to attend the Salafi Masjid this is a pleasant affair if not then I advise them to acquire/obtain a Masjid for themselves which is not over burdensome in expenditure for truly the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) says: “I was not ordered with building lofty extravagant Masjids”. And he also said:   “The Hour will not be established until the people vie with one another in boastfulness with regards to the Masjids”. So the Sunnah is that the Masjid should be modest and simple. And if you are able to [construct] the Masjid, that it is like the Masjid of the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) then do so, if you are not able to then do not overburden yourself and do not be lavish in building the Masjids for indeed it opposes the Sunnah, likewise the adornments and the minarets. Also the likes of what they call al-Mihraab and that which they put up on the four corners of the Masjids and what they call ash-Shurufaat (balconies and terraces), this was not found in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allaah when he built it at that time and likewise the Mimbar which is elevated in excess of three steps. Wa Laa Illaaha IllAllaah, for indeed there has not come to me a person regardless of whether he is from Eritrea or from Indonesia or from the Sudan and other than them from the Islamic countries except that he complains from the harms of Ikhwaan al-Mufliseen* (Brotherhood of the Bankrupt Ones) to the Ahlus-Sunnah. Then I say, to Allaah is the complaint, so they are ready to reconcile with the communist and with the Mulhid (atheist) and with the Secularist and with the Ba’thists, and with the Naasirites and with the Sufis and with the Shiites whilst they are not prepared to reconcile with the Sunni except when the time for elections draws near, indeed then they say:   “Be silent concerning us and we will remain silent concerning you”. ========= Footnote: * 'Al-Ikhwaan Al-Muslimeen' (The Muslim Brotherhood) A group founded by Hassan al-Banna in Egypt and which serves as an umbrella organisation to accommodate all and sundry, regardless of deviation in creed and methodology. Syed Qutb is another figurehead for 'Al-Ikhwaan' who has been refuted by many scholars. Many have been mislead in these times by this corrupted methodology. See: http://spubs.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=GRVloadpage=displaysection.cfm
Shaykh Muqbil bin Haadee
Tuhfatul-Mujeeb 'Alaa Asilatil-Haadhir wal-Ghareeb, page 129-131.
Translated by Abu 'Abdillaah Bilaal al-Kashmiri