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Fatwa CenterSponsorship of Muslim school
Question
Alsalamu Alikum, Dear Sir, In my question here I will talk about an important problem that is facing Muslim communities in western societies. I am a member in the board of one of the Islamic Centers in a Canadian city. I am also in charge of the education committee, which is responsible for holding weekend schools and summer school for the Muslim children, who do not receive any Islamic education in their public schools. From my experience I noticed that some Muslim parents are not aware of the importance of bringing their kids to the mosque in order to receive Islamic knowledge and to know some about their religion. When the school fees were 20/month/kid we had about 30-35 students and not all of them were paying. But when the school became free, when one of our brothers sponsored the program, the number of the students increased to 60 students and we had a waiting list. I am facing a problem now as this person stopped his donations for personal reasons. In the board we have two opinions: 1st opinion: Those who have this opinion say: "parents should pay for the school fees and the mosque should cover the fees only for those who can not afford it". They added: "how can the mosque direct its money (of course not Zakat money) to the school to spend it for a child, whose father is not poor. If the parents do not bring their kids, it is their own responsibility and not the mosque's". 2nd opinion: Those who have this opinion say: "the mosque should make the program free to encourage the parents to bring their kids, especially in this western society. If the parents are not aware of the importance of teaching their kids Islam, the mosque should take the responsibility and give a hand to those kids in this western environment. Practically, if the mosque does not care about these concerns, these kids will get lost and you can imagine how weak the next generation will be". They also rely on the fact that the mosque has quite sufficient money to sponsor the school. Could you please advice us as to whose opinion is more supported according to the Islamic spirit and Fiqh? We appreciate your soon reply.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
We ask Allah to guide all those people who are sponsoring these programs. May Allah grant them success and bless them. Teaching Muslim children is an utmost important issue and we are asked to do take care of it, especially the Muslim children living in western countries. No doubt it is a part of the Mosque's mission and of its role in Islam. As long as the Mosque can carry out the sponsorship of the school financially, then it should undertake it to receive a maximum number of Muslims' children, and this work should be the most important part of its activities.
We also approve charging a nominal fee to invest in this field, on those people who can pay it and exempting those who cannot pay. Or, you may make it optional: those who want to pay can do so, and those who do not are free to do so. At the same time, we believe that it is a duty to call the Muslim community for donations, alms, for this cause or the like.
On the other hand know that giving donations of money and alms (if not from Zakah as you mentioned in your question) to the people who are not needy or poor is permissible.
Allah knows best.
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