An Advice to our Masjids: Beware of the Poisoned Gift

Each year, we see masjids and Islamic schools seek funding, be it for new projects or to support their operational costs. Often, it can be tempting to seek a single source of funding, most notably governments such as those of Saudi Arabia or even in Canada. But is this a wise strategy? Let us examine the impact this dependence had on our brothers and sisters in Syria. In The the last few months, numerous groups who had courageously risen up against the tyranny of Bashar Assad and his regime in Syria have found themselves, taking up arms against other resistance groups instead of resisting the remorseless and brutal tyrant. Powerbrokers such as Turkey have signed peace treaties with Russia and Iran, Assad’s regional allies, and are willing to use the resistance fighters within their control to attack those opposed to these wretched agreements. It is important to remember that the Syrian revolution had started as the Ummah in Syria converged in the streets, demanding the downfall of the Assad regime, and pledging their allegiance to Allah and His Messenger (saw). So what has led the revolution to splinter into rebel factions being turned against each other by the Capitalist colonial powers, and its regional agents: In one word: funding. Almost every Syrian rebel group accepted funding from Saudi Arabia, or Turkey, or Qatar, or even the United States directly, and with this funding came the strings of control. The colonial powers, by providing low-grade weaponry and ammunition, were able to establish their control over the revolution, and in turn, carve it in their own image. What can we learn from this debacle.

The Cost of Taking Money

In Capitalism, there is the famous saying of, “there are no free lunches.” This means that if something valuable is being offered, the understanding must be that a payment or compensation is expected, even if it is not required right away. This is especially true when there is a difference in power between the one giving the money and the one receiving it.

We have seen examples of this, not just in the Syrian revolution, but also locally. In Ontario, when the provincial government introduced a new sexual education bill that sought to normalize same sex relations, the Muslim community – as well as even the Christian community – was upset. However, the Catholic school board, after some token resistance, had no choice but to adopt the new curriculum, as it receives its funding from the provincial government. The Islamic schools did not face this dilemma.

This is why it is so important for Islamic institutions to avoid taking money from governments and political structures, regardless of whether they are in the non-Muslim world, or even in the Muslim lands. The money comes at the cost of losing the means of independent decision-making. Just as the rebel groups in Syria were unable to control the outcome of their own revolution because of “politicized” money, just as the Catholic school board in Ontario was incapable of rejecting the new sexual education curriculum, if Islamic institutions were to start taking government money, it would be impossible for them to maintain Islamic control over our masjids, Islamic schools and associations.

The Poisoned Gift

It is also imperative for Muslims living in Canada to ask themselves, ‘why would a government want to fund the houses of Allah?’ These are governments that have rejected Allah’s laws, and have demonstrated no reverence for His Commands. Many of these governments spill the blood of innocents, both Muslim and non-Muslim, without a regret globally. These are governments that are either openly built upon non-Islamic foundation, or try to maintain a guise of Islam while still implementing non-Islamic systems in the Muslim lands. What motivation could they possibly have to fund a house in which the name of Allah, the Lawgiver, is remembered day and night?

The reality is that state actors who financially support the masjids are not giving support out of benevolence. Rather, this aid is politically designed to create leverage and dependency. Once this dependency is established, the state has no trouble controlling the masjid’s affairs to meet its political objectives. How else can we explain the scholars of Saudi Arabia defending Crown prince Salman’s agenda to aid the American colonial goals and to “reform” Islam? 

The role of the masjid

Through the Mercy of Allah (swt), we have hundreds of Masjids in Canada. These are sacred houses, described by Our Creator as:

“…houses which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the evenings” [TMQ 24:36]

The Masjids are the central nucleus upon which a Muslim community organizes its life and affairs. In the time of RasulAllah (SAW), the masjid was used for sleeping, eating, giving charity to others, seeking judgment, engaging in permissible play and wrestling, treating the sick and wounded, and managing society’s affairs.

The masjid is also essential to preserving our Islamic identity, especially among our young people. 

Abu Hurairah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah saw the people of Al-Habasha (Ethiopians) playing (in the Masjid), and ‘Umar was preventing them, so the Prophet (saw) said: “Leave them O ‘Umar, because they are Banu Arfidah,” reported by Ahmad. “Banu Arfidah” here indicates that this was a normal game for those people to play.

Preserving the central role of the masjid

We cannot give away the independence of our masjids to a secular government whose values are at odds with our own. And it is just as bad for masjids to take money from Muslim rulers, who without exception, implement the agendas of the Capitalist colonialist powers.

How can we uphold the sacredness of our masjids when the masjid leaderships lose their capacity for independent decision-making and instead act upon the benefit of powers who do not fear Allah (swt)?

How can we teach correct knowledge and develop correct Islamic concepts in our masjids when they are under the influence of those who are openly hostile to our social and political values?

How can we instill in our children a sense independence in life and subservience to Allah – and none other - if we are at the same time dependent and subservient to secular politicians and policy makers?

It should be clear that whom we take money from will determine the character and focus of our community, and taking money from secular states, in the non-Muslim or Muslim lands, is unacceptable.

Holding our masjids accountable

It is essential for the Muslim community across Canada to hold their masjids accountable for the sources of their funding.

The administrators of the masjid boards must be clear and transparent as to who is funding the masjid, and not take money from state actors, even if the funds being given are said to be unconditional.

The worshippers in these masjids should be adamant in knowing how their masjid is receiving its funding, and be willing to hold their masjid accountable if the masjid is either not transparent or is receiving funds from any government.

This is not to ignore the legitimate funding needs of our masjids, but there are alternatives to taking poisoned money from tyrants. If masjids are transparent about the amount of money they are receiving from their communities, and of their legitimate expenses, any shortfalls could be covered by sincere and righteous people who are in that community, or even affluent individual donors within the Muslim lands. If masjids could show a clear link between the money they are asking for, and the projects those funds will be invested in, the Muslims will be inclined to support them.  This Ummah has not lost its generosity or its zeal in the service of its deen. But no decrease in funds would be more expensive, or more catastrophic, than the loss of the masjid’s ability to remain out of the hands of the tyrants.

This is the only way for the Muslims in Canada to guard the righteousness of our communities, safeguard the identity of our future generations, and be courageous callers to our way of life to the non-Muslims in society.

“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], 'You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.' But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.” [TMQ 3:187]