Fatwa #1482420 December 2006United Arab Emirates
Masjid Roof
Question
Subject: Office over the top of Masjid Roof
Assalam u Alykum Warahmatullah e Wabarakatuhu
Question: In our company, we have a small mosque made of a container with a small Meenar at its one corner and a Mehrab for the Imam. Normally, 2 times prayer in a day is performed here. 30-35 people can pray at a time. Juma not performed. We don’t know whether it is a permanent or temporary mosque, because we don’t know what was the actual Niyyat / intention of the person (May Allah Bless him) when it was placed, whether to be a permanent or temporary mosque. In our opinion, it might only be placed just to fulfill the needs of people without any Niyyat. But, we are not sure. However, in our company’s official drawing, a Mosque / Prayer room is shown at this same place where this mosque container is placed. Now, our non-Muslim management wants to construct an office over this container mosque without touching it. Only the small Meenar may be displaced. Actually, they will install the pillars / column supports just outside the mosque and then prepare an office over the roof of mosque container. Is it allowed? Please reply soon as they have started preparation works.
Riaz Ahmad Khan
Abu Dhabi , U.A.E.
riazkhaan@hotmail.com
Answer
Mohtaram Brother in Islam
Assalamu alaukum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
A musjid is wâqf and permanent. If for some reason a musjid is raised to the ground (Shaheed) that will still remain a musjid. The portable container is not a permanent feature and can not be a musjid. At most it is a musallah, (a temporary place to perform Salãh). It will be correct to construct an office on the contained used to perform Salãh.
And Allah Ta'ala knows best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai