'Eid prayers are held in the playfield of Bi`r Al-'Abd sports club. Because we are busy holding Ramadan sport competitions at the club and because it is too hot this year to pray inside the mosque, we—the employees of the club—readied part of the musalla [an open space specified for 'Eid prayer] with water, mats and loudspeakers. We started to perform Night and Taraweeh[1] prayers there and, due to the beautiful weather, congregants' attendance increased. We were surprised when one of the sheikhs ascended the pulpit and said that it is an innovation and impermissible to pray in the musalla and that such prayers are not accepted i.e. they are prohibited. We are confused. What is the ruling on this issue?

It is established in Islamic law that it is permissible to pray anywhere provided the place is pure. The Prophetsaid, "The whole earth has been made a mosque and pure for me" [Bukhari and Muslim].

-The ruling

Praying on this piece of land is permissible, valid, and free of innovation or prohibition if you do not encroach upon the rights of others by if for instance, It belongs to another and its owner does permit holding prayers there;
• It is a public or personal walkway and holding prayers there obstructs the movements of pedestrians and harms public interest.

Allah the Almighty knows best.

[1]Congregational prayers performed after Night prayers in Ramadan.