What is your guidance for one who builds a small mosque next to his house, where perhaps only he and his family pray?
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The questioner : Then, the question we have observed in the Baqah region and some villages is that the one who builds a house sometimes makes a small mosque next to the house, and the prayer in this mosque may be limited to him and his family, and perhaps his neighbors, while the large and ancient mosques remain deserted except for a few people. What is your honorable guidance in this matter? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : I say—may Allah bless you—it is not permissible for a person to build a mosque in a house close to the public mosque, because this harms the public mosque, whether the person intends it or not. That is to say, many people do not intend to harm the public mosque, but they want comfort for themselves and their families. However, this is forbidden. For this reason, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: It is forbidden to build a mosque near it, and if he builds it, it is obligatory to demolish it.
Therefore, we first warn our brothers against building these mosques because of what they contain of dividing the Muslims. If everyone builds a mosque around their farm or around their house, the Muslims will undoubtedly become divided. It is obligatory for them to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) regarding themselves and to fear Allah the Exalted regarding their brothers, and not to divide the believers. This is for the one who intends to build.
As for the responsible authorities, it is obligatory to inform the responsible authorities of what has happened so that they themselves take charge of what must be done according to the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh : I say—may Allah bless you—it is not permissible for a person to build a mosque in a house close to the public mosque, because this harms the public mosque, whether the person intends it or not. That is to say, many people do not intend to harm the public mosque, but they want comfort for themselves and their families. However, this is forbidden. For this reason, the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: It is forbidden to build a mosque near it, and if he builds it, it is obligatory to demolish it.
Therefore, we first warn our brothers against building these mosques because of what they contain of dividing the Muslims. If everyone builds a mosque around their farm or around their house, the Muslims will undoubtedly become divided. It is obligatory for them to fear Allah (Mighty and Majestic) regarding themselves and to fear Allah the Exalted regarding their brothers, and not to divide the believers. This is for the one who intends to build.
As for the responsible authorities, it is obligatory to inform the responsible authorities of what has happened so that they themselves take charge of what must be done according to the Shari'ah.