WAKAF MASJID SECARA BERTEMPOH DI SINGAPURA MENURUT PERSPEKTIF SYARIAH

Masjids symbolise purity with which it is a requirement for a mosqueto be free from being owned by anyone and the sole beneficiary is for Allah the Al Mighty. However, Singapore’s needs for land and space to ensure its growth and progress as well as maintaining economy that changes over time made every mosque in Singapore to undergo a change in the lease period or dependant on the legal notice that allows the government to takeover control of the mosque at any point in time. These two issues clearly trespass the basis of beneficiary (wakaf) in Islam in which it is stated that properties that are classified as wakaf, have to be sustainable and are not bound to any conditions. As such, this paper is written to discuss on how a building, that is limited to a specific time period, can be regarded as a mosque, according to the views by scholars of Islamic law. A descriptive and inductive approach is being used in this research’s methodology to gather the scholar’s opinions, as well as their arguments. Analytical and critical approach is used to discuss their views and their arguments to find the opinion that is the closest match with the truth and suffice the needs of the Muslim community in Singapore and their interests. The result of this research shows that there is no consensus among the Islamic jurists that mosques must be built on land that is on wakaf property, which therefore validate the status of mosques in Singapore. This is achieved by using the opinions of scholars that allow mosques to be built on land that is on lease or rent as well as opinions of scholars that allow the use of mats or carpet to be used as a mosque.