Ruling on Zakaah funds for building a masjid

[islamirama]

Impermissibility of using Zakaah funds for building a masjid

Question:
What is the ruling on using zakaah monies to finish building a masjid that is almost completed, and its construction may be halted (due to lack of funding)?



Response:
What is well-known to the scholars, and it is the position of the vast majority of them, so it can be considered like ijmaa' (a scholarly consensus) of the scholars of the early pious predecessors, is that zakaah is not to be used for building masaajid, buying books, or the likes. It may only be distributed to the eight kinds of recipients that are mentioned in the verse in Soorah at-Towbah (Aayah 60), and they are:

1. the fuqaraa. (those who are extremely poor);
2. the masaakeen (the poor and needy);
3. those who work in distributing it (the zakaah);
4. those whose hearts are inclined towards Islaam;
5. freeing slaves;
6. paying debts;
7. in the way of Allaah; and
8. the traveler who is in need.

And the phrase {in the way of Allaah} means jihaad specifically.
This is what is known to the people of knowledge, and the building of masaajid is not mentioned here, nor is the building of schools or roadways, nor their likes. And Allaah is the One who grants success.



Shaykh Ibn Baaz -Fataawa al-Mar.aMajmoo' Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah - Volume 14, Page 294 - source: fatwa-online.com

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What is the ruling on the Zakah of a rented house?

Question:
What is the ruling on the Zakah of a rented house?

Answer:

If a rented house is rented out for profit, then there is no Zakah payable on the value of the house. The Zakah is only payable on the income that is generated from it if the hawl (passage of one Hijrah hear) is completed upon it from the time of the rental agreement. If the hawl has not been completed from the time of the rental agreement, then there is no Zakah payable upon it either.



For example, if the person rented out the house for ten thousand riyals, of which he receives five thousand at the time of the agreement which he spends. Then he receives five thousand in the middle of the year, which he spends before the end of the year, there is no Zakah upon him in this case. This is because the hawl has not been completed upon this money.



However, if he kept the house for sale and waited to receive the profit from it, but said: Since it has not been sold, I will rent it out,' then in that case, he must pay Zakah for the value of the house because he has kept it for sale; he did not want to keep it and profit from it.



And everything which is intended for the purpose of trade and profit is liable for Zakah, according to the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him), "Deeds are according to intentions and every person shall have what he intended." And Allah knows best.

[Excerpted from Islamic Verdicts on the Pillars of Islam by Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salih Al-'Uthaimeen, complied and arranged by Fahd Bin Nasir Ibrahim As-Sulaiman]

Related Fatwa: (see here for more )

Land that is kept for building does not require paying of Az-Zakah

I sold the gold before I paid Zakaah on It, what should I now do?

Can my husband pay my Zakaah for me? Can one give Zakaah to one's nephew?

There is no harm in her paying her Zakaah on jewellery to her poor or debtor husband

Giving Zakaah to one's mother

There is no Zakaah on the household utensils

Az-Zakah is due on whatever wealth is owned a year and reaches the minimum amount.
Is it Lawful to Give Charity on their Behalf