Source: Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Volume 02❖ Question
Is it permissible to announce, via the mosque loudspeaker, items that were lost outside the mosque premises? Similarly, can a vendor use the mosque’s loudspeaker to advertise his goods for sale? If payment is received for such announcements, can that money be spent on the mosque?❖ Answer
The Hadith explicitly forbids announcing lost animals (ḍāllah) in the mosque. While in the Hadith non-living lost items (luqṭah) are not mentioned directly, the ruling remains the same for items lost outside the mosque. The reasoning is that the mosque is not meant for such worldly purposes, whether the lost item is animate or inanimate.If an item is lost inside the mosque, then it is presumed that someone from the congregation might have found it, and thus, announcing within the mosque is reasonable.
Whether the announcement is made via loudspeaker or not, it does not change the ruling. If an announcement is prohibited without loudspeaker, it remains prohibited with loudspeaker.
Hence, if announcing lost items or selling products within the mosque is impermissible, then taking payment for such announcements and spending that money on the mosque is also impermissible.
❖ Permissible Alternative
If mosque property like a loudspeaker, tent, or other equipment is taken outside and rented out for non-religious use, and its earnings are used for the mosque, then there is no harm in this.❖ Note
Items for sale are of two types:① Religious (e.g., books or materials promoting the faith)
② Worldly
If someone announces religious content (e.g., books or events) inside the mosque, it may be allowed as religious propagation. The mosque is a place for such activities, and the Prophet (ﷺ) used the mosque for important announcements, including military dispatches and community matters during Khutbah.
If there’s personal benefit, it is considered secondary (bittabʿ), while the primary goal is religious service. This is akin to gaining spoils in war, where the primary intent is the exaltation of Allah’s word, not material gain.
