Source: Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of Qur’an and Hadith, Volume 02❖ Question
Is it Islamically permissible to lock a mosque?❖ Answer
Locking a mosque is not permissible. A mosque should remain open at all times so that anyone may enter and remember Allah whenever they wish. Keeping it locked is akin to preventing people from engaging in the remembrance of Allah within it.Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ﴾
“And who is more unjust than the one who forbids the mention of Allah’s name in His mosques?”
However, if there is a legitimate concern of theft or loss of mosque property, and locking it does not prevent people from performing Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), then in such a case, locking the mosque is not objectionable.
Allah knows best, and His knowledge is perfect.
(Compiled by: Sayyid Abdul Hafeez and Sayyid Muhammad Nazir Hussain, Fatawa Naziriya, Volume 1, p. 356)
