Is it permissible to build a mosque near another mosque when there is no necessity for building this mosque, since the old mosque can accommodate the worshippers? With evidence?
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The Shaykh : Is it permissible to build a mosque near another mosque that can accommodate the worshippers, when there is no necessity for building this mosque, since the old mosque can accommodate the worshippers? For example, a mosque is desired that is three hundred meters away from Al-Khayr Mosque... three hundred meters, and "Al-Khayr Mosque" can comfortably accommodate the worshippers. It is requested that the speech be detailed and supported by the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the sayings of the Salaf on this topic?
It is not permissible, absolutely, if the matter is as described, and this is what we believe. "Al-Khayr Mosque" is a wide and large mosque with multiple floors, so we do not believe it is permissible to build a mosque this close to this large mosque. This is a mosque called in the language of scholars of jurisprudence and hadith "Masjid al-Dharrar" (the Mosque of Harm). Al-Hafiz al-Suyuti explained this research in a treatise of his titled "The Innovation of Mihrabs in Mosques." He addressed the building of a mosque adjacent to another mosque without necessity, even if the old mosque did not accommodate its people; the obligatory thing is to expand it. Except in the case of increased construction, crowded population, and their distance from the mosque such that it becomes difficult for them; in that case, there is no harm in building another mosque out of need when the old mosque is narrow or small. Therefore, we find, unfortunately, many mosques built close to one another. Here the questioner says: between the existing old mosque and the mosque intended to be established is three hundred meters. We know of mosques in some areas of Damascus, like the "Al-'Imarah al-Jawaniyyah" mosques. When you exit the Umayyad Mosque toward "Al-'Imarah," you first find the first mosque, "Al-Sab' Tulay'ah," on your left hand. Then you walk, perhaps about one hundred meters, and you find a second mosque on your right hand, which is "Al-Sitt Rukiyyah." Then you walk about forty meters and you find another mosque on your left hand. No.
The questioner : "Al-'Umrani."
The Shaykh : "Al-'Umrani," then you walk about forty meters and you find "Masjid al-Sadat" on your left hand. Then you walk about thirty meters and you find another mosque, I do not know its name. So these are undoubtedly Mosques of Harm, in the terminology of the Shari'ah or the language of jurists. And I call these mosques "Mosques of Laziness"—meaning: laziness. Whenever a man has ample wealth, he becomes lazy about going to a mosque that is about one hundred or two hundred meters away from him. So he takes a piece of his wide land and builds a mosque for himself, and he does not feel or perceive the weight of the obligation; because the expenses are many. This is not permissible; because mosques were built to gather the Muslims, not to divide them. And these mosques, which are Mosques of Harm, in reality divide the word of the Muslims. Therefore, you find in every mosque one or two rows that are barely filled. If they gathered in one mosque, the mosque would be filled with them. That is better and more prescribed for the Muslims.
Therefore, building such a mosque is not permissible, according to one single opinion among those who know the correct Islamic ruling.
Yes.
It is not permissible, absolutely, if the matter is as described, and this is what we believe. "Al-Khayr Mosque" is a wide and large mosque with multiple floors, so we do not believe it is permissible to build a mosque this close to this large mosque. This is a mosque called in the language of scholars of jurisprudence and hadith "Masjid al-Dharrar" (the Mosque of Harm). Al-Hafiz al-Suyuti explained this research in a treatise of his titled "The Innovation of Mihrabs in Mosques." He addressed the building of a mosque adjacent to another mosque without necessity, even if the old mosque did not accommodate its people; the obligatory thing is to expand it. Except in the case of increased construction, crowded population, and their distance from the mosque such that it becomes difficult for them; in that case, there is no harm in building another mosque out of need when the old mosque is narrow or small. Therefore, we find, unfortunately, many mosques built close to one another. Here the questioner says: between the existing old mosque and the mosque intended to be established is three hundred meters. We know of mosques in some areas of Damascus, like the "Al-'Imarah al-Jawaniyyah" mosques. When you exit the Umayyad Mosque toward "Al-'Imarah," you first find the first mosque, "Al-Sab' Tulay'ah," on your left hand. Then you walk, perhaps about one hundred meters, and you find a second mosque on your right hand, which is "Al-Sitt Rukiyyah." Then you walk about forty meters and you find another mosque on your left hand. No.
The questioner : "Al-'Umrani."
The Shaykh : "Al-'Umrani," then you walk about forty meters and you find "Masjid al-Sadat" on your left hand. Then you walk about thirty meters and you find another mosque, I do not know its name. So these are undoubtedly Mosques of Harm, in the terminology of the Shari'ah or the language of jurists. And I call these mosques "Mosques of Laziness"—meaning: laziness. Whenever a man has ample wealth, he becomes lazy about going to a mosque that is about one hundred or two hundred meters away from him. So he takes a piece of his wide land and builds a mosque for himself, and he does not feel or perceive the weight of the obligation; because the expenses are many. This is not permissible; because mosques were built to gather the Muslims, not to divide them. And these mosques, which are Mosques of Harm, in reality divide the word of the Muslims. Therefore, you find in every mosque one or two rows that are barely filled. If they gathered in one mosque, the mosque would be filled with them. That is better and more prescribed for the Muslims.
Therefore, building such a mosque is not permissible, according to one single opinion among those who know the correct Islamic ruling.
Yes.
Source
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