Source: “Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith”, Volume 02
As-Salāmu ʿAlaikum wa Rahmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
What do the scholars of Dīn say regarding the following issue:
A mosque, which had long been in ruins, is reconstructed by a prostitute (fāḥishah zāniyah) using wealth earned through fornication, under the pretense of having borrowed money from a Muslim or Hindu without interest, but later repaying that loan with haram income.
Is such an action permissible?
Furthermore:
This issue is addressed by referring to authentic Hadith, principles of purification, and clear rulings from classical scholars:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«إنَّ الله طيّبٌ لا يقبل إلا طيّبًا»
“Verily, Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure.”
— (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Similarly, it is narrated that if a person’s food, drink, clothing, and nourishment are all from haram, then how can his supplication be accepted?
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) reported:
“Whoever purchases a garment for ten dirhams, and even one dirham is from haram, Allah will not accept any prayer while he wears it.”
He further declared:
“If I did not hear this directly from the Prophet ﷺ, may my ears become deaf.”
— (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
Just as prayer in a haram-purchased garment is not valid, the same applies to a mosque built with haram wealth—it does not carry the legal status of a masjid (ḥukm masjid).
The builder of such a mosque, whose construction was funded through fornication or other unlawful earnings, receives no reward, as the foundation is impure.
A mosque made of haram money is not accepted in the sight of Allah, nor does it offer the same spiritual reward as a mosque built with halal wealth.
This mosque should be demolished, and a new mosque should be rebuilt with pure and lawful wealth.
This act would fall under the verse:
﴿جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ﴾
“Truth has come, and falsehood has perished.”
— (Surah al-Isrā, 17:81)
Building a mosque on the foundation of filth and deceit does not convert it into a righteous act. Rather, it becomes a source of Allah’s wrath—similar to the punishment of the People of the Sabbath, who used trickery to bypass divine law and were turned into monkeys.
The fatwas of these respected scholars have been misunderstood. They do not permit haram-funded mosque construction, but refer to a case where:
If trickery (ḥīlah) is involved to justify haram earnings and make the act seem religiously valid, this is impermissible and condemned.
✔ A mosque built from haram wealth, even if under the guise of a loan,
✘ does not carry the ruling of a proper masjid.
✘ Prayer in such a place is not valid without serious objection, especially for obligatory Salah.
✘ The reward cannot equal that of prayer in a mosque constructed with pure, halal earnings.
✘ The builder receives no reward in the Hereafter.
✔ The mosque must be demolished, and a new one constructed with pure wealth to render it valid.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best what is correct.
❖ Question:
As-Salāmu ʿAlaikum wa Rahmatullāhi wa Barakātuh
What do the scholars of Dīn say regarding the following issue:
A mosque, which had long been in ruins, is reconstructed by a prostitute (fāḥishah zāniyah) using wealth earned through fornication, under the pretense of having borrowed money from a Muslim or Hindu without interest, but later repaying that loan with haram income.
Is such an action permissible?
Furthermore:
- Is it permissible to pray in that mosque, without incurring ḥarām or makrūh taḥrīmī status?
- Is the reward for Salah in such a mosque equal to that offered in mosques built with pure and lawful wealth?
- Will the builder of such a mosque receive any reward in the Hereafter?
- Should such a mosque be demolished and rebuilt with pure and halal wealth?
❖ Answer:
This issue is addressed by referring to authentic Hadith, principles of purification, and clear rulings from classical scholars:
❖ 1. Impure Source = Unaccepted Deed
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«إنَّ الله طيّبٌ لا يقبل إلا طيّبًا»
“Verily, Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure.”
— (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Similarly, it is narrated that if a person’s food, drink, clothing, and nourishment are all from haram, then how can his supplication be accepted?
❖ 2. Example of Clothing Purchased with Haram Wealth
Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) reported:
“Whoever purchases a garment for ten dirhams, and even one dirham is from haram, Allah will not accept any prayer while he wears it.”
He further declared:
“If I did not hear this directly from the Prophet ﷺ, may my ears become deaf.”
— (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
Just as prayer in a haram-purchased garment is not valid, the same applies to a mosque built with haram wealth—it does not carry the legal status of a masjid (ḥukm masjid).
❖ 3. No Reward for the Builder
The builder of such a mosque, whose construction was funded through fornication or other unlawful earnings, receives no reward, as the foundation is impure.
A mosque made of haram money is not accepted in the sight of Allah, nor does it offer the same spiritual reward as a mosque built with halal wealth.
❖ 4. The Necessity of Demolition and Rebuilding
This mosque should be demolished, and a new mosque should be rebuilt with pure and lawful wealth.
This act would fall under the verse:
﴿جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ﴾
“Truth has come, and falsehood has perished.”
— (Surah al-Isrā, 17:81)
Building a mosque on the foundation of filth and deceit does not convert it into a righteous act. Rather, it becomes a source of Allah’s wrath—similar to the punishment of the People of the Sabbath, who used trickery to bypass divine law and were turned into monkeys.
❖ 5. Clarification on Fatwas by Shah ʿAbdul ʿAzīz and Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Ḥayy Lakhnawī
The fatwas of these respected scholars have been misunderstood. They do not permit haram-funded mosque construction, but refer to a case where:
- A loan was taken due to a genuine lack of funds, and
- It was repayed unintentionally using haram wealth without the deliberate aim of converting haram into halal.
If trickery (ḥīlah) is involved to justify haram earnings and make the act seem religiously valid, this is impermissible and condemned.
❖ Final Ruling:
✔ A mosque built from haram wealth, even if under the guise of a loan,
✘ does not carry the ruling of a proper masjid.
✘ Prayer in such a place is not valid without serious objection, especially for obligatory Salah.
✘ The reward cannot equal that of prayer in a mosque constructed with pure, halal earnings.
✘ The builder receives no reward in the Hereafter.
✔ The mosque must be demolished, and a new one constructed with pure wealth to render it valid.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best what is correct.
