Musjid

Q: Is using the Masjid as a pathway from one side to the other haraam or makrooh e tahreemi or makrooh e tanzihi?

Q: Recently there has been a trend of using monitors in masjids to show presentations and sometimes even videos. Even without videos or pictures isn’t this something very disliked?

Q: The following appears in "The Three Harams" by Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen:

"Do not distribute parcels, hampers and other goods in the musjid. Similarly, do not make the musjid a drop off point for collecting parcels."

Please advise:

(1) What is the status of distributing parcels and hampers in the Musjid parking lot and yard? This happens in poor areas in KZN, where Muslim and Ulama relief groups or individuals, arrange for the distribution of groceries and blankets in the Musjid yard. People, males and females, line up and collect.

(2) Distributing Qurbani meat in the Masjid parking lot / yard. Is this correct?

(3) A feeding scheme takes place for the poor children after afternoon Madrasah at the Masjid. The children sit and eat in the madrasah section, which is a large room adjoining the last saff. Is this permissible?

(4) Grocery hampers are distributed to poor people in the Masjid entrance/shoe rack area, the goods are given to poor people as they leave. Is this permissible?

Q: What is the ruling in keeping a cat in the Masjid building and it living there? But it won't be kept in the actual Masjid?

Q: I have recently moved into an area that has a musallah, but not a masjid. The musallah is 1.1 km from my house and the nearest masjid is 3.8km.

1. Are the etiquettes and sunan of a masjid applicable to a musallah i.e. should one recite the duas for entering and leaving a masjid, make niyah for itikaaf, enter with the right foot etc.

2. Will one accrue the same reward for performing salaah in a musallah as one would in a masjid?

3. If not, is it advisable to perform salaah in the musallah or make the extra effort to attend the masjid?

Any other additional information regarding the differences between a masjid and musallah will be greatly appreciated insha-Allah.

Q:

1. Can recreational activities (golf, paddle tennis, soccer, etc.) be used for fundraising for a Masjid?

2. Can an auction event where items are sold be used for fundraising for a Masjid?

Q: Kindly provide an answer to the following questions:

1. Is it permissible to appoint a trustee (mutawalli) for a musalla or masjid who lives about 20km away from the masjid and who does not come for salaah except about once in 3 months?

2. Is it permissible to appoint a trustee (mutawalli) for a musalla or masjid who lives about 6km away from the masjid and who does not come for salaah except about once a month? And he has very little knowledge of what is going on in the musalla/masjid with regards to the imaam, the water and lights, the geyser, etc.

3. If a person is appointed as a trustee, what are his responsibilities towards the musalla and towards the musallis?

Q: Can a child who is still in his nappies be brought to the masjid? A toddler around the age of 2-3 years in age.

Q: Our Imaam mentioned a few points, which I wanted to clarify. The gist of the points is that in the Masjid, collective forms of Ibaadah always take precedence over individual.

1. If 5 minutes are allotted to read sunnah salaah before the khutbah, one should complete salaah in that time, to avoid inconvenience to the imaam, who has to wait for people who go over this time.

My question is, what if someone takes six or seven minutes. Is this incorrect or should the imaam wait patiently for such a person?

2. If after salaah, a jamaat is having a lecture, or there is some type of programme, the muqtadis should try and complete their salaah quickly or move to the back, so that the programme can commence as soon as possible.

Are these points correct?

Q: There are a lot of hardware items at our Musjid that are stored away for future use if need arises. Over the years, whenever there is a building project, there is always "leftover items /material". These include bricks, sand cement, plumbing/electrical items... Some items are used, some are brand new and some cannot be used again for the purpose for which it was purchased, but may have some other benefits like "broken tiles" or a few odd colour tiles or broken doors etc.

1. What must be done with these if there is no use for them now and maybe even later on?

2. Can these items be sold to Musallees or any other person and those monies used for the Musjid maintenance?

3. Can the items that are of no use, be given away for free.

4. Amongst the items, sometimes there are some things like, a drill, long ladder, wheelbarrow, spades etc. A Musallee wants to borrow this item. Is this allowed?