Which is better for the Muslim whom Allah has blessed: building mosques or giving charity to the poor, the needy, and those in need?
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The questioner : Which is better for the Muslim whom Allah has blessed: building mosques or giving charity to the poor, the needy, and those in need? Please guide us in light of this question.
The Shaykh : One looks at which is more urgent. If there is severe hardship among the people and they are in need of money, then giving charity to them is better, because it involves freeing slaves. However, if the people are in a state of well-being and they are in need of mosques, then mosques are better. One looks at which is more urgent: building mosques or giving charity to the poor. Removing need is qualified by severity; the greater the people's need for something, the better it is to spend money on it. However, mosques have a distinction in that they are from ongoing charity, because their reward continues as long as people benefit from them.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : One looks at which is more urgent. If there is severe hardship among the people and they are in need of money, then giving charity to them is better, because it involves freeing slaves. However, if the people are in a state of well-being and they are in need of mosques, then mosques are better. One looks at which is more urgent: building mosques or giving charity to the poor. Removing need is qualified by severity; the greater the people's need for something, the better it is to spend money on it. However, mosques have a distinction in that they are from ongoing charity, because their reward continues as long as people benefit from them.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.