The Houses of Allah: Part 5
Donation of a Mosque
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “When a man dies, his
actions come to an end except for three things: ‘Continuous Charity (Sadaqah
Jariyah), knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for
him’.” (Muslim)
The greatest example of Sadaqah Jariyah is the
construction of a Mosque in the name of the deceased, the reward of which he or
she will get in the Hereafter.
Uthman ibn Affan (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a house like it in Paradise.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
When someone donates a piece of land to the Deen-e-Islam
for the construction of a Mosque, or both the land and the mosque, this piece
of land and/ or mosque becomes the property of the Deen-e-Islam, and
most specifically, in our context, the Divinely-Raised Jamaat. Those who
bequeath their land for the construction of a Mosque to the Deen-e-Islam
and the Divine Jamaat, this becomes the property of the Divine Jamaat under the
direct responsibility of Allah and His Messenger of the time. In the absence of
a Messenger of Allah, any land donated to the Divine Jamaat for the
construction of a Mosque or to construct schools, halls and for other projects
of the Divine Jamaat are under the responsibility of the Divine Jamaat,
directed and supervised by the representatives of the deceased Messenger of
Allah (State Amirs – for vast countries which are divided into states, or
National Amirs in case of small countries), and the overall management will be
in the hands of the Caliph of the time. In the absence of a Caliph (Man-elected
or Divinely-elected) or Messenger, the management of the Mosques of Allah and
the decisions thereof falls into the hands of the Amir of the State wherein the
mosque is found.
Rights of the Waaqif (Donator)
The Waaqif is the person who was the owner of
the Mosque ground which he or she had donated as a Mosque (Waqf) for the
sake of Allah.
It is to be clearly understood that any land that a Waaqif
donates to the Deen-e-Islam, and especially the Divine Jamaat, becomes the
property of the Divine Jamaat. But as long as the title deeds of the land have
not been transferred in the name of the Divine Jamaat, the Waaqif and
his progeny retains all rights to the land.
So, it is highly advised, to avoid any property
disputes, for the Waaqif to transfer officially the title deeds of his
donated land (or land and mosque) to the Divine Jamaat so that no property and
inheritance issue is encountered in the future. Once it becomes the Divine
Jamaat’s property, the latter – its management – can supervise over it, until
another management comes to take over (whether it be the Amir, Managing
Committee, an elected Caliph or even another Messenger of Allah raised by Allah
through His Ruh’il Quddus – Holy Spirit, and indeed the Messenger of
Allah has precedence over all the rest).
Some Mosque Rules to Follow
1. According
to the Hanafi doctrines (Mazhab), it is not permissible to bring the Janaza
(corpse of a dead person) into the Mosque nor is it permissible to perform the Janaza
Salat (Funeral Prayer) inside the Mosque. The section which has been
intended for this purpose is excluded from the Mosque portion. In this section
where the I’tikaaf (Spiritual Retreat) is not valid, Janaza Salat
may be performed.
2.
It is
not permissible to conduct a second Salat in congregation inside the
Mosque in which Salat takes place five times a day at appointed times.
3.
It is
not permissible to insure Mosques as has become the practice in some places.
4.
When
entering the Mosque, Tahiyyatul Masjid Salat should be performed before
sitting down.
5.
When
the Jamaat (congregation) is in progress, late-comers should not rush and run
towards the Jamaat to gain the Raka’at. It is incumbent to walk with
dignity. If the Raka’at is missed, it will simply have to be fulfilled/
replaced.
6.
Voluntary
I’itkaaf is valid in the Mosque at all times. Even an I’tikaaf Niyyah
(intention to stay in Retreat in the Mosque) of a minute is valid.
7.
The
Imam, himself may recite the Azaan and the Iqaamah and then lead
the Salat.
8.
Evil-doing
and Unjust Huffaaz (those who have memorised the Quran) should not be
allowed to lead the Taraweeh Salat. A Hafiz who shaves off his
beard, wears infidel-styled garments, smokes and generally behaves despicably,
but when Ramadhan approaches he begins to grow a beard, the motive being
Imamate of the Taraweeh Salat, should not be appointed for the Taraweeh.
If an honourable Hafiz cannot be found, it is superior to recite the short
Surahs. This is better than allowing a Faasiq (Unjust, Wrongdoing) Hafiz
to lead the Salat.
9. Children
under the age of seven should generally not be brought to the Mosque [to avoid
any disturbance to the other Musallis] unless there is no one to take
care of them except for the parents who both have come to the Mosque.
10. It is not permissible to fix for oneself a
specific spot in the Mosque.
11. Just as a Faasiq (wrongdoer) may not be
appointed the Imam, so too a Faasiq must not be appointed as the Muezzin
(Caller to the Prayer).
12. The etiquettes which apply to the Mosque
comprise also of a Mussali who should not form another Saff
(range of prayer), standing all by himself.
13. If there is place in the Saff, a single
Musalli should not form another Saff, standing all by himself.
14. If there happens to be only one minor child in
the Mosque, he should join the Saff of the adults.
15.If the Fajr Jamaat has commenced, the
latecomer who has not yet performed the two Sunnat prayer, should do so
outside the Mosque section, in the section where the Janaza Salat is
performed or anywhere else. If there is no such place, then he should stand
right behind unobtrusively.
16. To ensure that the Saffs are straight,
the Musallis should place their heels in line, not their toes. When the
heels are all in line, the Saff will be straight.