Lets suppose you have a certain amount of money you want to donate to a mosque thats been built. But you can also donate it to feed the poor. What I wanna know is what does Islam say abt it? Shall we donate it to the mosque and let ppl die of hunger or is feeding or helping poor should be our first priority?
Doosra sawl What is prayer to you? I just want your personal opinion on this one. Why you pray?
Bohut bohut shukriya 
I would think feeding the poor is more important because you can pray anywhere on the earth, and the Qur'an mentions feeding the poor over and over again. Just my opinion.
Prayers; I dont do it often enough, but when I do, it's like my telephone call to Allah. smile
I will try to answer your first question according to my personal opinion which might make some sense to you.
Right now in Iraq they just approved the building of a housing complex to reside tens and thousand of homeless Iraqi MUSLIMS. All the scholars approve such doing VS building a Huge Mosque. Why? Because OBVIOUSLY Poor Iraqi Muslims need a shelter before they could go to a mosque and pray.
Now, Let us suppose the same situation for NON-Muslims. IMO, Building a housing complex would still be a priority BECAUSE Humans are dieing because of hunger and regardless of religion, its all about how humane one nation/person is.
Now here comes another situation though the thread is closed but I will try to remember some part of it.
You are in a modern country where poverty level is NOT as extreme as the situation in IRAQ. POOR and HUNGRY people are WELL supported by these modern nations. They have SEVERAL welfare Programs to help them as much as possible. (Trust me even the POOREST here in America would eat the same sandwich as me). So what I am trying to say is the Situation of the people here in the western and northern American countries is NOT as bad as compared to other part of the world.
Putting that aside and having said above, building a mosque in these RICH western/european/N. American places carry MUCH MORE weight rather FINDING a poor and hungry person and donate your money to him or even a welfare house who support such people/programs.
**WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD THAT SOMEBODY DIED OF HUNGER OR POVERTY IN AMERICA ? OR MAY BE EVEN IN EUROPE ? EVEN IF ONE DID, IS HIS DEATH ANY HEAVIER THAN THOSE WHO DIE EVERYDAY IN OTHER COUNTRIES ? **
We are Muslims and we have an obligation as a Muslim to spread the word of our prophet Mohammad :saw:. How can we ever come close to that obligation? By helping the SO CALLED the POOR and the NEEDY of these westernized/european/american countries, who just want a bottle of wine from every possible dollar that they can get their hands on? WRONG. Look at these Jews I live in New York and I know what kind of SOLID TALL and Heavenly structures these people have built. Why are they going crazy building these structures? Why don’t they go helping the poor? Because they know building synagogues represent their unity there BEINGNESS in that specific region. Look at them now, handful of people but just LOOK at their power, look at their place of worships. I as a Muslim in way admire their unity and their use of money. I wish the place where I pray can be as tall as strong as them. But i know it is not happening anytime soon because first we MUSLIMS are NOT done with this question, i.e. “Building Mosques VS Helping the Poor".
Whenever a true Muslim will know the true answer to this question and when all the doubts ** such as** building mosques when and where, are gone, all I know my religion will stand STRONG above all. ( INSHALLLAH).
We Muslims, by far, carry the best religion on our backs. BUT it is a very sad thing that rather understanding another Muslim we come here and try to stab him as much as possible and show no mercy; not only here but anywhere rather lending a helping hand. We look at each other with such disgrace. For Example Coming out of a mosque a stranger shakes hand with you, the very first feeling we are going to get is WHY IS HE DOING THAT? WHAT IS HIS REASON? When we will over come this mentality of ours and when will support other Muslims, we will hence be a successful nation around the globe.
Just couple of Hadiath and Quranic Verses I came across about building a mosque.
*The Holy Prophet :saw: on the importance of mosques
In addition to Hadith to these, there are several more Ahadith that reflect on the importance of mosques.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“…The whole Earth has been made a mosque and pure for me…” (Bukhari).
*O ye people, praise Allah. Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah, The Exalted, shall build a house for such a one in paradise.
*To Allah, the most adored places are the mosques and the most undesirable places are market places.
*Mosques are the houses of Allah and those believers who enter therein are the guests of Allah.
*Those who visit the mosques in darkness convey to them the good news that Allah shall bestow upon them from Himself perfect light on the day of judgment.
*mosque wipes out a sin and next step raises his status.
*
From Quran…“He alone can maintain the Mosques of Allah who believes in Allah, and the last day, and observes prayer and pays the Zakat and fears none but Allah; so these it is who may be rightly guided.” (9:18)
Jazzaak Allah
-Salman
The soul purpose of asking the question is that when we have such high poverty level why we are building more and more mosques and not spending that money on poor people? Yea making a mosque is a very noble cause, putting fans in a mosque, jae namaz and stuff is i am sure appreciated by God. But the family of the person sitting outside the mosque begs for food, clean water, education. I am sure Allah swt loves his people more than his home.
Magur there’s a twist 
Aren’t we busy building more and more plazas as well? I mean take the example of Lahore, so many of them lay empty yet we are building more and more. Why not help the poor with that money too?
The question you are is like being asked, “of two trays you are offered full of great tasting food, one of them holds the promise to provide you that same tasty food forever, which one will you choose?” Which one will you choose?
The sadaqa that is attained by feeding the hungry should not be taken lightly. It is a great charity to put food in someone’s mouth. The Holy Prophet :saw: in an authentic Hadith says, “Even a smile is a charity.”
We must not forget the extent to which Allah :swt: went to forgive a prostitute and a wayfarer just by quenching the thirsts of animals. The reward of this kind of charity should not be taken lightly(I will try and post the narrations here, InshAllah-o-Taala)…It is however something for which you get immediate Thawab, depending upon your intentions at that time…it is like that plate of which you get a one time tasty food…
Building a Masjid is a different kind of Thawab…It is like that plate which keeps on giving and giving and giving…Till Aakhiraa and it is promised…
It is upto you to decide…
Re: Sawal aik lakh ka
Reminds me of THIS thread when i read that thread first time while searching old threads, i was surprised at the questions and now surprised again:)
Oh yeah…Sorry…Forgot the second question…:halo:
You pray because you are told to…
AQ whats so surprising? :) I just wanted to know what prayers mean to you. Just a religious duty or something more more? :)
here one more :)
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by fantastic1: *
AQ whats so surprising? :) I just wanted to know what prayers mean to you. Just a religious duty or something more more? :)
[/QUOTE]
go through that thread READ ALL THE REPLIES and u will know what it should be:)
Al Maa’un - Almsgiving Holy Quran: 107
Seest thou one who denies the Judgment (to come)?
Then such is the (man) who repulses the orphan (with harshness),
And encourages not the feeding of the indigent.
So woe to the worshippers
Who are neglectful of their prayers,
Those who (want but) to be seen (of men),
But refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs.
As a mosque is already there, the above Surah clearly states that we have to keep the basic welfare of the poor and needy as a major priority.
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”—Author unknown
Keeping the above saying in mind the money should be spent to have a vocational School where the men/women/young adults can be given the vocational skills so that they earn their livelihood with dignity and don’t have to face humiliation of living on charity. They should also be instructed in basic and essential religious education; hopefully this will make them better and caring citizens. As these poor people get ‘settled’, hopefully they will donate the money for upkeep/expansion of the mosque.
We pray because we are commanded to do so.
Ji I know we pray because we are told to pray but for you personally does it hold any value other than that
Sorry. To recharge (or maintain) the connections from my end, I suppose.
Re: Sawal aik lakh ka
Subsequent to reading some of the responses in this thread, i feel really ill-equipped to answer the first query. My personal opinion, would be to agree with the response posted by Ibn Sadique, particularly the ayat (extremely relevant in this particular issue) that he posted.
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by fantastic1: *
**Why you pray?*
[/QUOTE]
To get peace.
Re: Sawal aik lakh ka
hmm…dont know abt that lekin aadhay aadhay ker do ??
obviously yaar coz its farz and if i dont pray then i’ll be going to dozakh [not that i am already not headed there ] lekin qabar mein sab se pehla sawal namaz k baray mein ho ga init is lyay i pray to save my skin :halo:
ye kis kisam ka aajiz shukria hae isay apnay paas rakho 
p.s. laao ab mere aik laakh…rupay naheen daalar 
Re: Sawal aik lakh ka
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by fantastic1: *
Shall we donate it to the mosque and let ppl die of hunger or is feeding or helping poor should be our first priority?
Doosra sawl What is prayer to you? I just want your personal opinion on this one. Why you pray?
[/QUOTE]
Remember that Islam is not only a faith but also a way of life. Islam is a humanitarian religion and does not condone benefit of another while the rest are in grave danger. Islam is common sense, prioritize your deeds. Feed the poor before building an institute for people to come and pray. Congregations of prayer can happen anywhere (house, grassfield); where as a hungry child can only be fed by food.
Prayer to me? Its a connection with Allah, wherever He is, its a faith that I have instilled in myself time and time again constantly fluctuating. I find that if I stop believing, I will stop living. For me, Islam is a neccessity than a desire. I want to be able to to pray, not only for myself but to show others. Look this is my secret to attain peace! I pray to live by example. My nephews see me pray and inturn learn the actions and stand in prayer with me. My friends see me pray and inturn guilt follows for those of my faith who don't pray. I pray, not only for myself but for others to learn from it too. Prayer to me is not a selfish deed to get out of hellfire. Its a physical action rather than just silently sitting in meditation and no one around you knows what is going on . Its a deed to yourself and others and not secluding yourself from the world. I am a show off when it comes to prayers because it will lure others or atleast spark some interest or guilt in them to see my actions. Thats what prayer is to me.