The imam’s room above part of the mosque

Question

Adjoining the mosque is the imam’s room, which at present is outside the mosque. But now there is an intention to extend this mosque. May the imam’s chamber be incorporated into the mosque at the lower level, while he lives in the upper part together with his family? How is this?

Answer

If this chamber is brought into the mosque for prayer and declared to be mosque, then it is not correct to build, in the upper part either, a chamber in which the imam would live with his family. If it is not intended to make it a mosque, and the only purpose is that worshippers may also stand there when needed, while the imam lives in the upper part, then this is correct.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.