Fatwa's Insights - Waqf, Mosque dan Funeral Management

THE 40TH MEETING OF THE PERLIS STATE FATWA COMMITTEE / 2019

28 - 29 MAC 2019 / 21 - 22 REJAB 1440H

GUIDELINES REGARDING THE OBLIGATION OF MOSQUES AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES TO PAY OUTSTANDING UTILITY BILLS

Money contributed by the public shall be utilized for the management of the mosque, including payment of utility bills. It is an obligation upon those managing the mosque's contributed funds to ensure that the rights of the parties involved are paid. The deliberate act of not paying or postponing payment without reasonable cause while being capable is a negligence of trust in management and an injustice according to Islamic law (syarak). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, based on a hadith narrated from Abu Hurairah RA:

مَطْلُ الغَنِيِّ ظُلْمٌ

Translation: "The postponement of debt payment by one who is capable is an injustice." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

And those in mosque management who deliberately fail to fulfill the trust are included in the statement of the Prophet SAW narrated from Abu Hurairah RA:

آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ : إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ

Translation: "The signs of a hypocrite are three: When he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

If the contributed funds are insufficient, the Muslim community shall assist one another to ensure that the management of the mosque concerned can be conducted properly. In the context of the State of Perlis, Baitulmal funds sourced from the Muslim community may be used to assist mosques that are unable to pay.

Resolved at the Meeting of the Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Perlis No. 3 of 2019 convened on 22 April 2019.