Question:
There is a masjid in Britain that will open it’s doors to the sick who are on their death bed from the Corona virus. What is your advice to the one who says, “we want this Masjid to be used by all religions not just by the Muslims in order that it be said that the Muslims attend to the affairs of the people”?
Answer:
O my brother the houses of Allah are not a game or a joke, Allah says in the Quran:
{فِی بُیُوتٍ أَذِنَ ٱللَّهُ أَن تُرۡفَعَ وَیُذۡكَرَ فِیهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ یُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ فِیهَا بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡـَٔاصَالِ}
“In houses (masājid), which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings” [Surat An-Nur 36]
{رِجَالࣱ لَّا تُلۡهِیهِمۡ تِجَـٰرَةࣱ وَلَا بَیۡعٌ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِیتَاۤءِ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِ یَخَافُونَ یَوۡمࣰا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِیهِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ وَٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ}
“Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue), nor from performing As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection.” [Surat An-Nur 37]
{مَا كَانَ لِلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ أَن یَعۡمُرُوا۟ مَسَـٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ شَـٰهِدِینَ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِهِم بِٱلۡكُفۡرِۚ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ وَفِی ٱلنَّارِ هُمۡ خَـٰلِدُونَ}
“It is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), to maintain the Masājid of Allah (i.e. to pray and worship Allah therein, to look after their cleanliness and their building, etc.), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.” [Surat At-Tawbah 17]
{إِنَّمَا یَعۡمُرُ مَسَـٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡیَوۡمِ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَلَمۡ یَخۡشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَۖ فَعَسَىٰۤ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ أَن یَكُونُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِینَ}
“The Masājid of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat and fear none but Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance.” [Surat At-Tawbah 18]
This is considered to be from the obstruction of the remembrance of Allah in the houses of Allah. [Allah said in the Qurān].
وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَـٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ أَن یُذۡكَرَ فِیهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ وَسَعَىٰ فِی خَرَابِهَاۤۚ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمۡ أَن یَدۡخُلُوهَاۤ إِلَّا خَاۤىِٕفِینَۚ لَهُمۡ فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا خِزۡیࣱ وَلَهُمۡ فِی ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیمࣱ
“And who is more unjust than those who forbid that Allah’s Name be glorified and mentioned much (i.e. prayers and invocations, etc.) in the Masājid of Allah and strive for their ruin? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them (Masājid of Allah) except in fear. For them there is disgrace in this world, and they will have a great torment in the Hereafter.” [Surat Al-Baqarah 114]
Therefore this is from the destruction of the masājid. We don’t want them to say that we attend to their affairs at the expense of houses of Allah. The most beloved places [to Allah] and we turn them into places of sleep for the sick. America and Britain have become strained and they couldn’t find except the masājid. The masājid there are rented and not built by way of endowment and on top of that they want to put the sick in there so they make the masājid go to waste and what the Muslims have left from their religion. Therefore this action is not permissible.
If there were a land where the Muslims became strained then it is possible that they could save a place in the Masjid if it doesn’t restrict the people then there is no problem with this. In the time of the Prophet ﷺ some of the sick were brought to the Masjid. Sa’ad [may Allah be pleased with him] when he was injured, a tent was placed for him in the Masjid, so the likes of this there is no problem with it. As for it being open for all religions then if someone is placed in there who has Corona that means that there is no prayer in the Masjid. This is obstruction of the houses of Allah. Even if the Masjid is closed then this shouldn’t be done.
And Allah knows best.
Answered by: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/OfficialChannelShaykhBaajammaal/177
Translated by: Abu Musa Jamaal al-Britani