Taken from: "Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur’an and Hadith", Volume 02
Is it permissible to pray and lead salah in a mosque whose qiblah wall faces a graveyard? Additionally, the mosque is adjacent to a shrine (dargah) where worship of other than Allah occurs, and many of the worshipers hold polytheistic beliefs. The qiblah wall also contains two windows through which the graves are visible.
✦ If the foundation of the mosque was laid for the sake of Allah and based on piety (taqwa), then praying and leading salah in it is permissible.
Allah ﷻ states in the Qur’an:
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ
(Surah al-Tawbah: 108)
"Never stand [to pray] in it. A mosque founded on piety from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. In it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves."
This verse highlights that if a mosque is established with sincere intention and upon the principle of piety, then offering salah in it is valid—even if it is located near a graveyard or a shrine.
However, if the mosque’s foundation is based on polytheism, innovation, or promoting worship of others besides Allah, or if the belief system surrounding it encourages shirk (polytheism), then it is not permissible to pray in such a mosque.
The mere presence of a graveyard or shrine nearby does not invalidate the prayer, as long as:
① If the mosque was established on taqwa (piety) and for the pleasure of Allah, then it is permissible to pray and lead prayer there.
② The proximity of a graveyard or shrine does not affect the permissibility, provided the mosque itself is free of polytheistic elements.
③ If the mosque promotes or incorporates acts of shirk, then prayer in such a mosque is impermissible.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
❀ Question:
Is it permissible to pray and lead salah in a mosque whose qiblah wall faces a graveyard? Additionally, the mosque is adjacent to a shrine (dargah) where worship of other than Allah occurs, and many of the worshipers hold polytheistic beliefs. The qiblah wall also contains two windows through which the graves are visible.
❀ Answer:
✦ If the foundation of the mosque was laid for the sake of Allah and based on piety (taqwa), then praying and leading salah in it is permissible.
Allah ﷻ states in the Qur’an:
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ
(Surah al-Tawbah: 108)
"Never stand [to pray] in it. A mosque founded on piety from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. In it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves."
This verse highlights that if a mosque is established with sincere intention and upon the principle of piety, then offering salah in it is valid—even if it is located near a graveyard or a shrine.
✿ Key Distinction:
However, if the mosque’s foundation is based on polytheism, innovation, or promoting worship of others besides Allah, or if the belief system surrounding it encourages shirk (polytheism), then it is not permissible to pray in such a mosque.
The mere presence of a graveyard or shrine nearby does not invalidate the prayer, as long as:
- The graves are not within the mosque structure itself,
- The mosque’s foundation was laid sincerely for Allah,
- No acts of shirk are performed inside the mosque.
✔ Summary:
① If the mosque was established on taqwa (piety) and for the pleasure of Allah, then it is permissible to pray and lead prayer there.
② The proximity of a graveyard or shrine does not affect the permissibility, provided the mosque itself is free of polytheistic elements.
③ If the mosque promotes or incorporates acts of shirk, then prayer in such a mosque is impermissible.
Wallāhu Aʿlam.
