Tafsir of Surah At-Taubah - Verse 18

It is not for Idolators to maintain the Masjids of Allah

Allah says that it is not fitting that those who associate others with Allah in worship should maintain the Masjids of Allah that were built in His Name alone without partners. Those who read the Ayah, "Masjid Allah", said that it refers to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the most honored Masjid on the earth, which was built, from the first day, for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone without partners. It was built by Khalil Ar-Rahman (the Prophet Ibrahim) peace be upon him. The idolators do this while they themselves testify to their disbelief with their statements and actions. As-Suddi said, "If you ask a Christian, `What is your religion', He will tell you he is a Christian. If you ask a Jew about his religion, he will say he is a Jew, and the same for a Sabi' and a Mushrik!"'

أُوْلَـئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ

(The works of such are in vain), because of their Shirk,

وَفِى النَّارِ هُمْ خَـلِدُونَ

(and in Fire shall they abide.) Allah said in another Ayah,

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَآءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians None can be its guardians except those with Taqwa, but most of them know not.)8:34.

Believers are the True Maintainers of the Masjids

Allah said,

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ

(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.) Therefore, Allah testifies to the faith of those who maintain the Masjids. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that `Amr bin Maymun Al-Awdi said, "I met the Companions of the Prophet and they were saying, `The Masjids are the Houses of Allah on the earth. It is a promise from Allah that He is generous to those who visit Him in the Masjids.," Allah said next,

وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ

(perform the Salah), one of the major acts of worship practiced by the body,

وَءَاتَى الزَّكَوةَ

(and give the Zakah), which is the best act that benefits other people,

وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

(and fear none but Allah), they fear only Allah, the Exalted, and none else,

فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

(It is they who are on true guidance.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ

(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day;) "He who singles out Allah (in worship), has faith in the Last Day." And he said; "He who believes in what Allah has revealed,

وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ

(perform the Salah), establishes the five daily prayers,

وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

(and fear none but Allah.), worships Allah alone,

فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

(it may be they who are on true guidance.) Allah says, `It is they who are the successful ones in truth.' Similarly, Allah said to His Prophet ,

عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَاماً مَّحْمُودًا

(It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud)17:79. Allah says here, `Your Lord (O Muhammad) shall grant you a station of praise, that is, the intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).' Every `might' in the Qur'an means `shall'."

Verse 17 was describing the negative aspect as related to the Mushriks. It said that they did not deserve the honor of building and maintaining mosques. Verse 18 takes up the positive aspect relating to mosques by saying:

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ‌ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿18﴾

In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day and those who establish Salah and pay Zakah and who fear none but Allah. So, it is in all likelihood that they are to be among those on the right path.

It means the building of mosques in the real sense is a serene task. It can be done only by those who are bound by the commandments of Allah in their ` Aqidah (faith) and ` Amal (practice). They must believe in Allah and in the 'Akhirah, establish Salah, pay Zakah and fear none but Allah. At this place, only 'Iman (faith) in Allah and 'Akhirah (Last Day) have been mentioned. Faith in the Rasul (Messenger) of Allah was not mentioned expressly because there is no way one can have faith in Allah Ta` ala except that one puts his or her faith in His Rasul - and wholeheartedly accepts the commandments that come from Allah Ta` ala through him. Therefore, ` faith in the Rasul' is naturally included under ` faith in Allah.' This is why the Holy Prophet ﷺ once asked his noble Companions ؓ ، ` Do you know what 'Iman in Allah is?' The Companions said, ` Allah and His Rasul know best.' He said, ` Iman in Allah is that one bears witness to the fact that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the Rasul of Allah.' This Hadith clearly states that having faith in the Rasul is included under having faith in Allah and is comprehensively united with it. (Mazhari with reference to al-Bukhari and Muslim)

As for the statement: ` fear none but Allah,' it means that, in matters of religion, one should not abandon the command of Allah out of some fear. Otherwise, fearing things that cause fear is quite natural. Beasts, snakes, thieves and robbers generate physical fear but that is not the kind of fear we are talking about here. When the magicians showed snakes made of ropes and staffs to Sayyidna Musa, he had a sense of fear within himself as mentioned in the Qur'an فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُّوسَىٰ ﴿67﴾ - 20:67. Therefore, the normal fear caused by what causes pain or brings loss is neither contrary to the injunction of the Qur'an nor to the station of a prophet, wallyy or saint. However, one should not become so overcome by this fear as to start creating confusion about the injunctions of Allah Ta` ala or leaving them out altogether. This is not the style of a true believer and this is precisely what is meant at this place.

Some related issues

When it is said in the present verses that Mushriks and Kafirs cannot take up the task of ` maintaining' a masjid which was something only righteous Muslims could do, it refers to the trusteeship and administrative responsibility of the masjid. The outcome is that it is not permissible to appoint a Kafir the trustee and administrator of any Islamic Waqf (endowment). As for the construction of the different units of the structure such as walls and doors, it does not matter even if some non-Muslim is assigned to do the job. (Tafsir Maraghi) Similarly, when a non-Muslim makes a masjid as an act of thawab, or contributes funds for its building, then, it is permissible to accept it. However, the condition is that there should be no danger of a religious or worldly loss, or blame, or usurpation of the property later, or harping on the favor done. (Al-Du rr al Mukhtar, Shami and Maraghi)

It was hinted in verse 18 that building a masjid and making it throb with multitudes of Muslims making prayers, remembering Allah and reciting the Qur'an is a task that can only be accomplished by a righteous Muslim. It proves that anyone who keeps coming to the masjid either to supervise arrangements for the security, maintenance, upkeep and supplies for the masjid, or for the Dhikr of Allah, or to learn about his religion, or to recite or teach the Holy Qur'an is a perfect believer. These deeds are sufficient as witnesses to this honor.

The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` when you notice that a person is punctual with his presence in the masjid, bear witness to his ‘Iman - because, Allah Ta` ala has said: إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ‌ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ (In fact, the masjid of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah... - 18). Imam Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have reported this Hadith on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Said Al-Khudri ؓ .

It appears in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who presents himself in the masjid morning and evening, Allah Ta` ala sets aside a rank of Paradise for him.'

And Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi ؓ narrates that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` a person who comes into the masjid is a visiting guest of Allah Ta` ala - and it is incumbent on the host that He honors the guest.' (Mazhari with reference to Tabarani, Ibn Jarir, al-Baihagi and others)

The commentator of the Qur'an, Qadi Thana'ullah of Panipat has said, ` the expression ` maintenance of the masjid' also requires that the masjid should be cleansed of things and practices for which it was not made. It includes activities like buying and selling, worldly conversation, search of lost property, asking people for material help, recitation of idle poetry, disputation, fighting, disturbing peace by noises and things like that. (Mazhari)

At the time when the Quran was revealed, the position in Arabia was that the Muslims had gathered round the Prophet Muhammad and the polytheists around the Ka‘bah. Till that time the histories of glories which we are now acquainted with had not yet become attached to the name of the Prophet Muhammad. He appeared to the people like an ordinary man. On the other hand, the Sacred Mosque of Makkah, because of the thousands of years of history attached to it, appeared to them a symbol of greatness and holiness. The polytheists saw themselves as being servants and retainers of the holiest shrine. On the contrary, when they saw the Muslims, they thought of them, under the circumstances prevailing at that time, as a group of people gathered around a madman.