Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
What is the ruling for praying in a mosque that has been funded with haram sources. Is it permissible to pray there? I know that many mosques here in the UK have a mixture of halal and haram funding but I refer to those totally funded my haram sources. For example the property was bought using a mortgage. Is the status of prayer in such a mosque lower than at other mosques?
Walaikum assalam,
The position of my teachers, and I have no doubt that it is absolutely the truth, is that riba is decisively haram in the West, even in the Hanafi school. As Shaykh Nuh says, “Those who say otherwise are scholars who are harming the Muslims.” I am working on a detailed work on this issue.
Given this, mortgages and the like cannot be used by Muslims, especially to fund mosques and other Islamic projects. How can one expect baraka through something Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) hate?
However, the place would still be considered a mosque, and it would be valid to pray there. If possible, it would be better to avoid such a place, and to be wary of those who do such things.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani.