Should the Greeting Be Returned to the Shi'a, and Should They Be Expelled from the Mosques?

Question

We have Shi'a at our workplace — is it permissible to return their greeting of peace? We also see them in the mosque praying on pieces of paper — is it permissible to expel them from the mosque?

Answer (English translation)

I say: treat them as they treat you. If they greet you, return the greeting. And it is not right for them to be expelled from the mosque. In fact, some of them may be common folk who know nothing, and their scholars have misled them; so you can influence them through tactfulness and calling them in the best manner. Using violence between people is not a valid approach, and Allah the Exalted loves gentleness in every matter. If you were now to clash with them and say: do not prostrate on paper, do not prostrate on a stone, and so on — if the matter ended there and they stopped, that would be fine, but they will only increase, and the enmity and hatred between you will become worse.

So what I hold is: the obligation is first to advise them, especially the common folk — and advising does not mean attacking their corrupt and false creed, no. Advising means clarifying the truth to them and clarifying the Sunnah to them. Then after that, once the Sunnah becomes clear to them, I am certain — if they truly have faith — that they will return to it and abandon their falsehood. If that happens, that is the best and most excellent outcome. If it does not, then treat them as they treat you. As for expelling them from the mosque, that is not up to you; it is up to those in authority above you, and they will deal with them as they see fit.