Decisions of a Mutawalli
| Fatwa #675 | Category: Masjid & Waqf | Country: Zambia | Date: 15th May 2024 |
| Fatwa #675 | Date: 15th May 2024 |
| Category: Masjid & Waqf | |
| Country: Zambia | |
Question
Assalamu alaikum. This notice has been put at the Masjid by the mutawalli. Is this Islamically correct? If a musallih comes for salaat, does he have the right to charge his phone? The same way that he has a right to turn on the fan in front of him when it is hot. Bearing in mind the situation of ridiculous load shedding we have country-wide.
The masjid has its own generator.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
A mutawalli is entrusted with the welfare of the masjid and is allowed to make decisions that best serve the masjid and its musallees. A huge part of the mutawallis role is to create convenience and ease for the imams, muadhins, and musallees. However, this is confined to the needs of the people.[1]
Accordingly, facilities such as fans, lighting, wudhu khana, which serve the need of the musallee may be utilized during reasonable salah times, not beyond that. One does not have the right to charge ones phone in the masjid as that is not a salah related need. The electricity of the masjid is an Amaanah and cannot be abused. Therefore, the mutawalli has the right to prevent people from charging their phones inside the masjid.
It is always best for a mutawalli to take into consideration the needs of the people of his locality. The members of a masjid community may also approach the mutawalli if they feel the needs of the masjid or its musallees are not accommodated.
As for using these facilities as a mu’takif or whilst in Jamaat, kindly refer to the link below.
https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/38900
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Bilal Pandor
Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel
Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia
[1]فتاوى محمودية ج 14 ص 342, 640
المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (6/ 213)
سئل أبو بكر عن بناء المنارة من غلة المسجد قال: إن كان البناء مصلحة للمسجد وتفسير المصلحة أن يكون أسمع للقوم يجوز، وإن لم يكن في البناء مصلحة للمسجد
الجوهرة النيرة (3/ 306)
ولو وقف على دهن السراج للمسجد لا يجوز وضعه لجميع الليل بل بقدر حاجة المصلين ويجوز إلى ثلث الليل أو نصفه إذا احتيج إليه للصلاة فيه وهل يجوز أن يدرس الكتاب على سراج المسجد ينظر إن كان وضع لأجل الصلاة فلا بأس بذلك إلى أن يفرغوا من الصلاة