Is building housing for the imam and the mu'adhdhin considered assistance in the maintenance of mosques?

Question:
Some people, when they wish to donate to a mosque project, stipulate that the donation must be for the mosque land only and its construction, and not for the imam's house or the mu'adhdhin's house. They believe that the reward differs and that it is better to donate for the mosque land. In fact, one person, upon learning that his donation did not fall under the mosque's construction, withdrew his donation. We ask for a ruling for the people and request that this be clarified in detail.

Answer:
Donating for the imam's and the mu'adhdhin's houses is assistance in the maintenance of the mosque and assistance in the proper conduct of the congregation in the mosque. If the imam is present and close to the mosque, the affairs of the mosque are in order, and the imam preserves it, and so it is with the mu'adhdhin.
Furthermore, in most cases, a mosque that has no house for the imam and no house for the mu'adhdhin will not secure a permanent imam, nor will they secure an imam who meets the conditions. The imam is in need of a house; he may be in a distant location and it may not be easy for him to come to this mosque. If there is a house for the imam and a house for the mu'adhdhin nearby, this makes the benefit more complete, the utility more complete, and the maintenance of the mosque more perfect.
Therefore, the donor should donate for this and for that. If he donates for both, that is good. If he donates for the mosque alone, that is good. If he donates for the imam's and the mu'adhdhin's houses, that is good. It is all good, all projects of good, all doors of good.