Assalaamu Alaykum. This is a question from Europe: What are the conditions of the Masjid? Should it be a Waqf (endowment) for the Sake of Allaah The Almighty or it may be owned by a Muslim? May Allaah Bless you. Assalaamu Alaykum.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

The Masjid is the basis of Islam. It is the place where prayers are established, lessons are delivered, circles are held for seekers of knowledge and Muslims discuss their worldly and religious affairs. It was a place of leadership at the time of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, his rightly guided caliphs and the golden ages of Islam. It is a condition that the Masjid is not built on usurped land, a grave or an impure place like the places that were used for answering the call of nature. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "The entire earth is a suitable place for praying except for graves and bathrooms." [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah] Furthermore, it was authentically narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "May Allaah Curse the Jews and the Christians for they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship. Do not imitate them." Masjids should be protected against filth, harm, unpleasant odors, announcing lost property, selling, purchasing, raising voices, quarrelling and discussing the affairs of the worldly life because many narrations enjoin preserving Masjids from all this. Upon building the mosque and giving general permission for people to pray therein, it becomes a Waqf (endowment) for Allaah The Almighty. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And [He revealed] that the Masjids are for Allaah, so do not invoke with Allaah anyone.} [Quran 72:18]

There is no harm in attributing Masjids to one of the Muslims –although they are for Allaah – because of ownership and honoring so that it is said the Masjid of so and so. An authentically narrated Hadeeth relates that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, organized a race between trained horses which was to go from Al-Hayfaa’ to Thaniyyat Al-Wadaa', and a race between untrained horses from Thaniyyah to the Masjid of Banu Zurayq.

This attribution is due to location because the Masjid is in their tribe or because they are responsible for building it, endowing it or the like.

Likewise, there is no harm in attributing it to a Muslim in official documents so that he owns it on paper as a formality, especially in Europe and such countries that do not give permission to build except if it is attributed to a certain entity whether an individual or a recognized institution.

Allaah Knows best.