Ruling on paying Zakah for building Masjids
Q: What is the ruling on paying Zakah (obligatory charity) money for helping to build a Masjid (mosque) whose construction was halted due to lack of financial resources?
A: According to the opinion of the majority of Muslim scholars and the Ijma` (consensus) of our Salaf (righteous predecessors), Zakah is not to be paid for constructing Masjids, buying books, etc.
Rather, Zakah must be spent on the eight categories which are mentioned in the Ayah (Qur’anic verse) of Surah Al-Tawbah, i.e. the poor, the needy, those employed to collect (the funds), to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islâm), to free captives, for those in debt, in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything).
It is worth mentioning that scholars are of the view that the category of “in the cause of Allah” refers only to Jihad (fighting/striving in the Cause of Allah) and this does not include constructing Masjids, schools, roads, etc.
May Allah grant us success.
Posted from: http://www.alifta.net/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?languagename=en&View=Page&PageID=2705&PageNo=1&BookID=14
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