Inaugurating Mosques

Question:

Whenever a new Masjid is built and readied for prayer, people are invited from different countries to celebrate what they call 'Mosque Inauguration.' What is the ruling on attending such function? And does the Hadith:
"No trips should be taken to visit any Masjid, except the three Masjid (i.e., Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the Prophet's Masjid in Madinah, and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa' in Jerusalem.) signify prohibiting such functions? If it does, then what is the proof? And does the Hadith in which the Prophet was invited by a Companion to perform the prayer in one side in his house to designate as a praying place signify the permissibility of such functions? And, do we understand from the story of Masjid 'Dhirar'[1] that since Allah did not forbid His Prophet from going to that Masjid, rather, He only forbade him from praying in it because the Masjid was built out of opposition and disbelief? Please elaborate.

Answer:

Inaugurating mosques can be done by praying in them and occupying them for the purpose of remembering Allah, by reciting the Qur'an, and the utterances of remembrance, teaching Islamic sciences, and other similar things that give mosques their due respect. Allah, the Exalted, says: " In houses that Allah permits to be erected, and His Name be remembered in them. Therein are men who declare His freedom from every imperfection, and who are distracted by neither commerce nor bartering from the remembrance of Allah, performing Salah, and giving the Zakah. They fear a Day in which hearts and eyes will be agitated. So that Allah will reward them for the best of what they did, and increase His bounty to them. And Allah provides whoever He wills without count".

That was how the Prophet, utilized the Masjid. He was followed by the Well-Guided Caliphs, the rest of his Companions, and the Imams of guidance after him. May Allah be pleased with them and grant them mercy. The best way is to copy them, and do only what they did when they inaugurated mosques by using them for worship and similar Islamic rituals.

It was never authentically reported that either he, or those who followed his guidance held inaugural celebration for a new mosque by inviting people for such functions. They never did what people do today when opening new mosque. Were such functions to be praiseworthy, the Messenger of Allah would have been the first to do so, and he would have passed it as a Sunnah for his Ummah. His Well-Guided Caliphs, and the Imams of guidance after him would have followed him too. Had such functions taken place during his time it would have definitely been reported to us.

Consequently, no such functions or celebrations should take place, nor an invitation of such nature be responded to, nor should such functions be financed. Merits can be attained only by following the Pious Predecessors, and demerits is in what the latter generations have innovated.

With regards to the Hadith for designating that spot in a Companion's house, there is no proof in it of permissibility of what is known today as inaugural celebration. That Companion did not invite the Prophet for a celebration, rather, he invited him to perform a prayer in his house. The Prophet did not take a trip to perform that prayer rather, he went only to perform the prayer. Besides, taking a trip for inaugural celebrations is forbidden as signified by the Hadith which prohibits taking trips to other than the three known Masjids that are mentioned above.

Such innovated custom should be shunned, and people should be satisfied with the Sunnah of the Prophet and his generations with regards to mosques and other affairs. May Allah grant them mercy, and may Allah exalt the mention of our Prophet Muhammad his household, and Companions, and render them safe from evil.

Source:
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 1 Pages 25 - 26- 27-28