Question Summary:
Is it permissible to be remunerated for looking after the masjid?

Question Detail:

Salaam sheikh, are you allowed to get paid for cleaning the masjid toilets and hovering the Masjid and also outside the trimming the leaves.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Taking care and maintaining the Masjid is a praiseworthy act for which one will be rewarded.

This is understood from the following Hadeeth of Nabi (ﷺ):

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الرَّجُلَ يَتَعَاهَدُ الْمَسْجِدَ، فَاشْهَدُوا لَهُ بِالْإِيمَانِ. فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ: {إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ} [التوبة: 18]

Translation:  Abū Saʿīd Khudrī Radi Allāhu ‘anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa Sallam said: “When you see a person taking care of the Masjid then bear testimony to his Īmān, for verily Allah Ta‛ālā says, “Only those who believe in Allah and the Last Day frequent and take care of the Masjids of Allah.

(Sunan Al-Tirmidhi)

It is permissible to receive a remuneration for maintaining and taking care of the masjid. ^[1]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad I.V Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

___________

^[1] المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (7/ 481) 

ولو استأجر رجلاً ليكنَس المسجد، ويغلق الباب ويفتحه بمال المسجد جاز؛ لأنه ليس على المتولي ذلك، أما حفظ الرجل والخرج عليه

الفتاوى الهندية - ط. دار الفكر (4/ 448)

يَجُوزُ الِاسْتِئْجَارُ على بِنَاءِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَالرِّبَاطَاتِ وَالْقَنَاطِرِ كَذَا في الْبَدَائِعِ

الفتاوى الهندية - ط. دار الفكر (2/ 461)

وَلِلْمُتَوَلِّي أَنْ يَسْتَأْجِرَ من يَخْدُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ يَكْنُسُهُ وَنَحْوُ ذلك بِأَجْرِ مِثْلِهِ أو زِيَادَةٍ يُتَغَابَنُ فيها فَإِنْ كان أَكْثَرَ فَالْإِجَارَةُ له وَعَلَيْهِ الدَّفْعُ من مَالِ نَفْسِهِ وَيَضْمَنُ لو دَفَعَ من مَالِ الْوَقْفِ وَإِنْ عَلِمَ الْأَجِيرُ أَنَّ ما أَخَذَهُ من مَالِ الْوَقْفِ لَا يَحِلُّ له كَذَا في فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ