Does a Mosque’s Being a Mosque Depend on a Minaret?

Question

At the time of the construction of the Eidgah (open ground for the Eid prayer) of Gadwal an appeal was issued in which these words are written: “The work on the tall minarets of the Eidgah remains; give donations generously so that these tall minarets may stop the calamities coming from the sky from entering the settlement.” Some people object to this. We request you: (1) Is it necessary for mosques or Eidgahs to have a minaret? Will it not be called a mosque without a minaret?

Answer

A mosque’s being a mosque in the Sharʿi sense does not depend on a minaret; without a minaret it is still a mosque. However, because of a minaret it becomes known from afar, and it is easier for a traveller to reach the mosque; moreover, the dignity of the mosque becomes manifest.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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