According to the majority of scholars, Zakat should not be used to build a masjid. Allah names exactly eight categories of people who may receive Zakat (Quran 9:60), and the construction of a masjid is not among them. A minority of scholars, past and present, have taken a broader view, so this is a question on which sincere Muslims may hear different answers. The safest and most widely accepted approach is simple: pay your Zakat to eligible recipients, and support masjid projects with Sadaqah. This article explains why, so you can give with confidence.
The eight categories of Zakat
Allah says: “Zakat is only for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect it, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing captives, for those in debt, in the path of Allah, and for the stranded traveller. It is an obligation from Allah” (Quran 9:60).
The verse opens with the word innama, “only,” which scholars understand as limiting Zakat to these eight categories. Zakat is not general charity: it is a specific right that belongs to specific people.
Where the disagreement comes from
The question turns on one phrase in the verse: fi sabilillah, “in the path of Allah.” Taken in its widest sense, almost every good deed is in the path of Allah, including building a masjid. So scholars had to decide what the phrase means within the Zakat verse specifically.
The majority view
The great majority of classical scholars across the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools understood fi sabilillah in this verse to mean those striving in the defence of the Muslim community. They reasoned that if the phrase covered every good cause, the other seven categories would be unnecessary, and the word “only” would lose its meaning. On this view, Zakat cannot be spent on building or maintaining masjids, schools or other buildings.
The broader view
Some scholars, including a number of contemporary scholars and fatwa bodies, read fi sabilillah more broadly to include activities that serve and spread Islam, and a few extended it to masjids, especially where a Muslim community has no place of worship and no other means. This remains a minority position, and many who hold a broader view still advise caution.
The practical answer
- Pay Zakat to those named in the Quran: the poor and needy, people in crippling debt, and the other eligible categories.
- Support masjid building with Sadaqah, which has no such restriction. Helping to build a masjid is one of the greatest forms of Sadaqah Jariyah, with the promise of a house in Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 450).
- Ask before you give. If you follow a particular scholar or school, or your situation is unusual, ask a qualified scholar for a ruling on your own case.
- Check how a charity handles Zakat. A trustworthy organisation keeps Zakat separate from general and building funds and passes it only to eligible recipients.
How Aman Islamic Trust handles Zakat
Our building fund is for Sadaqah only. If you wish to pay Zakat or Zakat al-Fitr through us, please contact us first so that it can be directed only to eligible recipients and kept separate from the building fund. You can reach us on 022 065 4746 or at admin@amanislamictrust.com.
Help build a permanent masjid in Wellington
If you would like to help build a masjid, Sadaqah is the clear and agreed way to do it. For six years Aman Islamic Trust has served Muslims in Wellington, New Zealand, from rented rooms. We are now raising NZ$1.5 million to buy a permanent masjid and Islamic centre, a place for the five daily prayers, Quran classes, youth programmes, Ramadan and Eid for generations to come.
You can give by card or by bank transfer from anywhere in the world (reference BUILD). Every gift receives a receipt, and building fund gifts are used only for the property.
Giving from overseas? See our guides for the UK, Australia, the USA and Canada, the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
This article is general guidance drawn from the Quran and authentic Hadith. For a ruling on your own situation, please ask a qualified scholar or contact our imam.
Sources
- Quran 9:60: the eight categories of Zakat.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 450: whoever builds a mosque for Allah.
Frequently asked questions
Can Zakat be used to build a masjid?
According to the majority of classical scholars from the four Sunni schools, no. Zakat must go to the eight categories named in Quran 9:60, and building a masjid is not one of them. Some scholars take a broader view, but the safest course is to pay Zakat to eligible recipients and support masjid projects with Sadaqah.
What does fi sabilillah mean in the Zakat verse?
Fi sabilillah means in the path of Allah. Most classical scholars restricted it, within Zakat, to those striving in the defence of the community. Some scholars widened it to include other good causes, which is the root of the disagreement about masjids.
Who is eligible to receive Zakat?
Quran 9:60 names eight categories: the poor, the needy, those who administer Zakat, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, freeing captives, those in debt, in the path of Allah, and the stranded traveller.
How can I support a masjid if not with Zakat?
Give Sadaqah, which has no restriction on how it is used. Helping to build a masjid is one of the greatest forms of Sadaqah Jariyah.