Appointing a trustee (mutawalli) for a musalla or masjid who lives at a distance from the 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?

A: 1 & 2. Such a person should be appointed as the mutawalli of the musjid who adheres to the shariah in his life and who has the necessary knowledge of fulfilling the responsibilities of a mutawalli. Among the responsibilities of a mutawalli is that he should uphold the rights of the musjid, see to the upkeep of the musjid and be concerned about the functions of the musjid taking place according to the shariah. Among the rights that every believer owes to the musjid is that he performs all his salaah in the musjid. Hence, if one is the mutawalli of the musjid, then all the more he should ensure that he performs his salaah in the musjid. However, if he lives far away from the musjid and performs his salaah in another musjid or he suffers from ill health due to which he is excused from coming to the musjid, then this will not make him unworthy of being a mutawalli of the musjid.

3. We have prepared a kitaab on this topic. You may refer to the attached PDF.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)