Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth, Volume 09
By: Maulānā ʿAbd al-Salām Bastawī – Tarjumān, Delhi, Vol. 6, Issue No. 14
Is it permissible to use money from a non-Muslim for the construction of a mosque?
Yes, it is permissible to use a non-Muslim’s money for mosque construction, provided that:
① The non-Muslim offers this willingly.
② The money is from ḥalāl (lawful and pure) earnings.
This type of assistance falls under:
﴿تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety” (Qurʾān)
The polytheists of Makkah once constructed the Kaʿbah using their ḥalāl income, and:
✔ The Prophet ﷺ did not order it to be demolished after the conquest of Makkah.
✔ He acknowledged its structural integrity while clarifying its historical shortcomings, like reducing its size and raising the door.
🏷 Non-Muslims do not earn any reward (ajr) for their charitable contributions toward mosque construction:
“Masājid can only be properly maintained by those who believe in Allah…”
(Qurʾān: Surah al-Tawbah, verse 18)
The following verse negates reward for disbelievers:
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ﴾
“It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against themselves with disbelief…”
Commentary from ʿUmdat al-Qārī (vol. 3, pp. 3–7):
“Only the contribution of believers is meritorious and rewardable in mosque construction. Disbelievers’ contributions are not recognised by Allah even if they build a place of worship.”
When ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (still a disbeliever at the time of Badr) claimed honour for constructing the Kaʿbah, the following verse was revealed to refute his claim:
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ﴾
And immediately afterward:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ﴾
“Only those who believe in Allah should maintain the mosques of Allah…”
Thus, while physical construction may occur, spiritual merit and recognition belong only to the believers.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allah knows best what is correct.
By: Maulānā ʿAbd al-Salām Bastawī – Tarjumān, Delhi, Vol. 6, Issue No. 14
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to use money from a non-Muslim for the construction of a mosque?
❖ Answer:
Yes, it is permissible to use a non-Muslim’s money for mosque construction, provided that:
① The non-Muslim offers this willingly.
② The money is from ḥalāl (lawful and pure) earnings.
This type of assistance falls under:
﴿تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety” (Qurʾān)
◈ Precedent from the Time of the Prophet ﷺ:
The polytheists of Makkah once constructed the Kaʿbah using their ḥalāl income, and:
✔ The Prophet ﷺ did not order it to be demolished after the conquest of Makkah.
✔ He acknowledged its structural integrity while clarifying its historical shortcomings, like reducing its size and raising the door.
❖ However:
🏷 Non-Muslims do not earn any reward (ajr) for their charitable contributions toward mosque construction:
“Masājid can only be properly maintained by those who believe in Allah…”
(Qurʾān: Surah al-Tawbah, verse 18)
The following verse negates reward for disbelievers:
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ﴾
“It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against themselves with disbelief…”
Commentary from ʿUmdat al-Qārī (vol. 3, pp. 3–7):“Only the contribution of believers is meritorious and rewardable in mosque construction. Disbelievers’ contributions are not recognised by Allah even if they build a place of worship.”
❖ Example from History:
When ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (still a disbeliever at the time of Badr) claimed honour for constructing the Kaʿbah, the following verse was revealed to refute his claim:
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ﴾
And immediately afterward:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ﴾
“Only those who believe in Allah should maintain the mosques of Allah…”
Thus, while physical construction may occur, spiritual merit and recognition belong only to the believers.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
And Allah knows best what is correct.
