As-salamo-alekum, How are you and family? I need details. How to choose(elect) the people for the management of mosque according to Sunnah and Quran. And what is the eligibility of the people who can caste their vote to them? Few people have made their own constitution for choosing the management committee of mosque for own worldly benefit. If possible please send complete details of the process.

 In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Answer

Trustee is a legal term for the Islamic term of Mutawalli. A trustee is mainly used to take charge of the day to day running of the Mosque or any other voluntary organisation. The condition of a Mutawalli is that he is an adult, sane and Muslim. Furthermore, he should be trustworthy and capable of running the establishment. If a Mutawalli lacks any if these qualities or he is an open transgressor, then he should be removed from his post.

(Raddul Muhtar p.578-579 v.6)

From the above we can conclude that the main condition required for a person to be considered a trustee is that he must be pious and God fearing. The following things need to be looked at a person to determine whether he is worthy of the aforementioned post or not:

1.      He is punctual in his five daily prayers.

2.      His dress, conduct and manner should be according to the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam.

3.      He should have a beard.

4.      His house should not be on an unlawful mortgage.

5.      The nature of his occupation and the wages must be from lawful sources.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham