Musjid

Selling a musjid

Q: My query is about a land of 22 marlas in the name of my brother which we want to sell and that piece of land has a 2 storey building on it. We were running a school there for almost 20 years. In the building we have a 1 marla mosque in the corner properly built with a mehrab and now due to some financial reasons we want to sell the building. But due to the mosque in the corner, nobody seems to buy that building as it requires an extra attention. In the name of what to do with that cause it covers 25% of front look.

First we thought that no azaan is given properly in the mosque and nobody comes to that mosque because it is closed after school hours so we should consider it a piece of land too and sell it. But when I asked my ancestor about it then she told me that this mosque is here from day one when my grandfather bought this land about 25-30 years ago (we changed its location from left to right corner and built a proper masjid) and this 1 marla of land is devoted for the mosque. So now we cant touch this land and are bound not to sell it but we also can not separate this piece of land from the whole property.

We are in desperate need of money so we have to sell it. If we would sell it and build a mosque of the same area in another spot after receiving the amount of that piece of land or give this money to any mosque or any well fare trust or something will it be ok?

Do the laws of a musjid apply to a musalla?

Q: A flat has been purchased and made Waqf as a musalla. The five daily Salaah as well as Jumuah Salaah have been established at the musallaa and the musalla has an appointed Imaam. The musalla has access for musallees from outside the building to attend Salaah.

1. When entering such a musalla, does one read the Duaa for entering a musjid and can one make the intention of nafl i'tikaaf? Similarly, at the time of leaving, does one recite the dua for leaving a musjid?

2. Can a person in the state of janaabat enter such a musalla?

3. Will it be permissible for people to make their own jamaat Salaah at the musalla before or after the main jamaat?

4. In the last ten days of Ramadhaan, can sunnat i'tikaaf be made in such a musalla? If not, can a person living in the vicinity of the musalla remain in the musalla during the last ten days for the purpose of secluding oneself for ibaadat, as there is no musjid in the immediate vicinity of his home?

5. The trustees wish to make it a musjid. Will this be possible whilst the rest of the flats, including the flats above and below the musalla are privately owned? (The flats are sectional title.)

Hanging a photo of the Kabah on the front wall of the musjid

Q: In our Masjid someone has placed a hanging painting/photo of Kaba and Gumbade Khazra at the wall near the (Member- place where Imam leads the Salah). Is it permissible to put it there. I have reservations. So far I am concerned as it diverts the attention of cautious and creative people and therefore not good to keep these things in Masjid. Is it correct?

Making musjid property a pathway for people

Q: I am from a small village of Kashmir. We have planned to build a jamma masjid in our village. The land adjacent to the old masjid plot is donated by somebody for a madrasah. Can we use a part of the donated land to make an alleyway i.e. a passage to the masjid so that the street becomes a free passageway for villagers on the other side of the masjid. It will become more convenient for passing.

Building an astro turf field on musjid premises

Q: A certain musjid has decided with the approval of a Mufti to build an astro turf soccer field on the musjid premises, whilst the premises is waqf. The project is spearheaded by the main Imaam and a collection drive is on for the funds of approximately R450 000. The organizers feel that they will attract people to the musjid and save them from the evils out there. The usual suspects that are being followed are the Ulemaa and community in a nearby town (apparently the nearby town has a similar facility in their muslim school yard). This astro turf will apparently be open to females asking them to adhere to purdah whilst they make use of the facility. The project seems rushed to beat anyone putting a stop to it.

1) Can such a project be done on waqf land?

2) Can females play sport in the musjid yard?

3) Should the organizers lease the land and pay a fee to the musjid?