Can we Use Insurance Money for Masjid Expansion

Answered by: Maulana Naieem Mohammad

Question

Can our Masjid use money that we got from an insurance claim? Can we use that for Masjid operations or for expansion?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

If what you are referring to is a case where an individual receives insurance money due to a claim and he wishes to donate it to the Masjid for renovations/expansions, then this will be permissible.

This ruling is derived from the Shariah guideline which states,

“The changing of ownership is like the changing of the item itself”.[1]

This means that even though an individual may have doubt in the permissibility of the insurance money for himself and he wants to avoid using it for his personal needs, it will be considered as a totally different transaction if he hands it over to the Masjid or another individual because the change in ownership makes it lawful for a second person but not the first owner.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Naieem Mohammad

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham