The Official Website of the Office of His Eminence Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Al-Sistani

Question & Answer » Search (Mosque)

1 Question: Does waqf have a particular mechanism?
Answer: No, suppose a person built a place for public worship, intending it to be a mosque, then it shall be deemed thus.
Endowment - Waqf
2 Question: I work at an exchange office but they also make me sell lottery. Is it permitted to sell lottery in this case?
Answer: Buying and selling lottery tickets are not permissible. Yes, it is permissible to take part in a lottery with the intention to contribute in a charitable project such as building a mosque or a bridge not with the intention of earning a profit or a prize.
Lottery
3 Question: A mosque has a number of floors, including the prayer room, basement, kitchen, storage, bathroom facilities, are all these parts of the building considered as a mosque, and have the rulings of the mosque? Can women who are in their state of ritual impurity to the other floors of the mosque?
Answer: If the particular land was considered as Waqf (endowment) before the commencement of the building as a mosque, then all of the building, including the basements, and the levels above, have the rulings of a mosque.
However, if the land was not considered as Waqf (endowment) and after completion of the building, one of the levels was considered as a mosque, then only that level will be considered as a mosque, and the rulings of the mosque will comply.
Thus, those who are in the state of ritual impurity, may make use of the other levels of the building, and not enter the level considered as the mosque.
Mosque
4 Question: There are two mosques in one city and Friday prayer is held in both of them? Given that they are very close to each other, is the prayer valid?
Answer: If the distance between the two mosques is one Farsakh (5.5km approximately) or more, the prayers are in order.
Friday Prayer (Jumu'ah)
5 Question: Can one perform Eid prayers, (Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha), at home, by myself, or must I recite these prayers in congregation at the mosque?
Answer: There is no problem in reciting the Eid prayers by yourself alone (Furada).
Eid Prayer
6 Question: Is it permissible to drape a mosque with black cloths?
Answer: There is no problem in it.
Black Clothes
7 Question: Is it permissible for the people of Ahlul Kitãb and other non-Muslims to enter the mosques (masjid) and other Islamic places of worship [like husayniyya or imambargah which are not masjid]? And is it necessarily for us to enforce the hijãb on those [non-Muslim women] who do not observe hijãb and allow them to enter [the mosque or places of worship], if it is permissible?
Answer: Based on obligatory precaution, it is not permissible for them [i.e., non-Muslims] to enter the mosque (masjid). As for their entering the places of worship, etc, there is no problem in it. If their entry [in imambargah or a husayniyya or a center] without hijãb is considered as a sign of disrespect, hijãb should be enforced on the [non-Muslim] women.
Mosque
8 Question: There is a mosque which is going to be destroyed by municipality due to traffic congestion, so there will be no mosque there in the future. What are we supposed to do with the mosque's furniture, equipment, tools and appliances and building material?
Answer: If what was left of the mosque’s furniture, equipment, tools and appliances, building material, etc. after its demolition, had originally been confined to its sole use, by way of endowment deed, it is obligatory to make use of them in another mosque. Should this not be possible, the proceeds be spent on other mosques.
Endowment - Waqf
9 Question: Is it permissible for me to pray behind a Sunni Imam for Friday and for regular congregational prayers, and is it required to prostrate on Turbah inside a mosque, for example, in the mosque of the holy city of Medina?
Answer: Taking part in Friday and congregational prayers of the Ahl-e Sunnat is permissible in areas where Taqiyah (dissimulation) is required. If you are not going to face a problem, you should, as far as possible, prostrate on something upon which Sajda (prostration) is permissible. Prostration on carpets in the case of Taqiyah or out of necessity is permissible and there would be no objection in it. Also, it is obligatory upon you to recite first chapter al-Hamd and the second chapter yourself – with the recitation in a low voice though.
In any case, Friday prayers performed with them is not sufficient for Dhuhr prayers. Therefore, it is necessary to perform Dhuhr prayers separately.
Congregational Prayers
10 Question: Can we give out of Sahm-e-Imam , as a donation to a hospital, that totally runs on charitable donations and is a non-profit making organization? Can I give my Sahm-e Imam to a local mosque for its reconstruction and renovation?
Answer: You can spend the portion with permission from a Marja’ Taqlid or with permission from his representative (Wakil).
Khums
Click here to post a new question
العربية فارسی اردو English Azərbaycan Türkçe Français