Collecting Donations for a Mosque from Non-Muslims

Question

We live in a place where the Muslims in the whole town number 12. There has been a mosque here since before the year ’47, and it is deserted, that is, it has fallen into ruin, and its repair is very necessary. We do not have the means to put special money into it and repair it. So may we collect money as donations from the Hindus in the town, and may we use the money of zakat and fitra, or not?

Answer

Do not ask the Hindus for donations to build such a mosque, for that is a great loss of self-respect. Do not spend the money of zakat and sadaqat al-fitr on the construction of the mosque either, for it is the right of the poor. Build a very modest mosque with a thatched roof from your personal money; Allah Most High will also arrange for it to be made permanent.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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