Masjid Funds being Repurposed
Question
I would like to know if Lillah funds which the Masjid collects can be use for the upliftment of Deen in our community.
Can it be used to clean the Eidgah? Can it be used to clean the streets? Can it be used to feed people after a big night Bayaan in the masjid or another masjid? Can it be used to transport Jamaats to other Towns? Can it be used for caring for sick people in the community?
In our Masjid the Lillah tin states Masjid Lillah and our committee logo. One committee member stated that the committee of that Masjid is the committee for the whole community. Is this correct?
In our town, the Masjid is is run by a committee. One committee member who is also an Aalim stated that the Lillah funds collected can be used to clean the Eidgah and any other good work in the community. Our chairman disagreed and said the money must be collected from the broader community only for the purpose of the cleaning Eidgah and we should not use those funds.
My question is can these Lillah funds be used for everything in the community or only for the all expenses which are incurred by the properties of the Masjid Jamaat, like paying staff salaries and imams salaries and maintaining the properties?
Answer
The funds donated to a Masjid committee must be utilised in Masjid-related expenses, avenues and activities and may not be repurposed without the consent of the donors. The donated funds are an immense responsibility placed upon the shoulders of the trustees/committee who have now become a Wakeel (representative) on behalf of the donors, hence, great precaution must be exercised that it be spent on the purpose and intention for which they have been donated. Of even greater detriment would be that the funds are squandered in hosting futile functions and activities such as Masjid braais, sports tournaments and Masjid open days as are in-vogue nowadays.
Primarily, the funds collected for the Masjid should be spent on the construction, renovation and maintenance of the building as well as any expenses incurred for consumables, utility, electricity and water bills etc. Should any surplus funds remain, the remuneration of the Imaam, Muazzin and cleaning staff should be fulfilled therefrom. Thereafter, any remaining funds may be used for additional expenditure (e.g. water and electricity) arising from beneficial Deeni programs to be conducted in the Masjid.
In closing, the funds cannot be used for other community projects, unless consent was granted by the donors. We suggest that separate funds be collected for the other general needs of the community.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
فَإِنْ انْتَهَتْ عِمَارَتُهُ وَفَضَلَ مِنْ الْغَلَّةِ شَيْءٌ يَبْدَأُ بِمَا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلْعِمَارَةِ وَهُوَ عِمَارَتُهُ الْمَعْنَوِيَّةُ الَّتِي هِيَ قِيَامُ شَعَائِرِهِ قَالَ فِي الْحَاوِي الْقُدْسِيِّ: وَاَلَّذِي يَبْدَأُ بِهِ مِنْ ارْتِفَاعِ الْوَقْفِ أَيْ مِنْ غَلَّتِهِ عِمَارَتُهُ شَرْطُ الْوَاقِفِ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ مَا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ إلَى الْعِمَارَةِ، وَأَعَمُّ لْمَصْلَحَة
(رد المحتار على الدر المختار 6 /560)
وَالْحَاصِلُ: أَنَّ الْوَجْهَ يَقْتَضِي أَنَّ مَا كَانَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ الْعِمَارَةِ يُلْحَقُ بِهَا فِي التَّقْدِيمِ عَلَى بَقِيَّةِ الْمُسْتَحِقِّينَ، وَإِنْ شَرَطَ الْوَاقِفُ قِسْمَةَ الرِّيعِ عَلَى الْجَمِيعِ بِالْحِصَّةِ أَوْ جَعَلَ لِلْكُلِّ قَدْرًا وَكَانَ مَا قَدَّرَهُ لِلْإِمَامِ وَنَحْوِهِ لَا يَكْفِيهِ فَيُعْطِي قَدْرَ الْكِفَايَةِ لِئَلَّا يَلْزَمَ تَعْطِيلُ الْمَسْجِدِ، فَيُقَدِّمُ أَوَّلًا الْعِمَارَةَ الضَّرُورِيَّةَ ثُمَّ الْأَهَمَّ فَالْأَهَمَّ مِنْ الْمَصَالِحِ وَالشَّعَائِرِ بِقَدْرِ مَا يُقَوَّمُ بِهِ الْحَالُ، فَإِنْ فَضَلَ شَيْءٌ يُعْطَى لِبَقِيَّةِ الْمُسْتَحِقِّينَ إذْ لَا شَكَّ أَنَّ مُرَادَ الْوَاقِفِ انْتِظَامُ حَالِ مَسْجِدِهِ أَوْ مَدْرَسَتِهِ لَا مُجَرَّدُ انْتِفَاعِ أَهْلِ الْوَقْفِ، وَإِنْ لَزِمَ تَعْطِيلُهُ خِلَافًا لِمَا يُوهِمُهُ كَلَامُ الْحَاوِي الْمَذْكُورِ، وَلَكِنْ يُمْكِنُ إرْجَاعُ الْإِشَارَةِ فِي قَوْلِ الْحَاوِي هَذَا إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مُعَيَّنًا إلَخْ إلَى صَدْرِ عِبَارَتِهِ، يَعْنِي أَنَّ الصَّرْفَ إلَى مَا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ إلَى الْعِمَارَةِ كَالْإِمَامِ وَنَحْوِهِ إنَّمَا هُوَ فِيمَا إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ الْوَقْفُ مُعَيَّنًا عَلَى جَمَاعَةٍ مَعْلُومِينَ كَالْمَسْجِدِ وَالْمَدْرَسَةِ، أَمَّا لَوْ كَانَ مُعَيَّنًا كَالدَّارِ الْمَوْقُوفَةِ عَلَى الذُّرِّيَّةِ أَوْ الْفُقَرَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ بَعْدَ الْعِمَارَةِ يُصْرَفُ الرِّيعُ إلَى مَا عَيَّنَهُ الْوَاقِفُ بِلَا تَقْدِيمٍ لِأَحَدٍ عَلَى أَحَدٍ فَاغْتَنِمْ هَذَا التَّحْرِيرَ (قَوْلُهُ: كَذَلِكَ) أَيْ بِقَدْرِ الْكِفَايَةِ لَا بِقَدْرِ الشَّرْطِ، وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ الْآتِي: فَيُعْطُوا الْمَشْرُوطَ وَقَوْلُهُ: فَلَهُمْ أُجْرَةُ عَمَلِهِمْ، فَيَأْتِي الْكَلَامُ فِيهِ (قَوْلُهُ: لِثُبُوتِهِ اقْتِضَاءً) لِأَنَّ قَصْدَ الْوَاقِفِ صَرْفَ الْغَلَّةِ مُؤَبَّدًا وَلَا تَبْقَى دَائِمَةً إلَّا بِالْعِمَارَةِ فَيَثْبُتُ شَرْطُ الْعِمَارَةِ اقْتِضَاءً بَحْرٌ وَمِثْلُهَا مَا هُوَ قَرِيبٌ مِنْهَا كَمَا قَرَّرْنَاهُ آنِفًا
(رد المحتار على الدر المختار 6 /561)
- Approved by
- Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
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