Using styrofoam plates in the Masjid

29-1-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

Islam prohibits wasting, so is using Styrofoam plates in the Masjid a good idea? The way I see it: 1) It is waste of the Masjid money 2) It is waste of trees, as Islam encourages us to preserve Allah's environment. 3 The disposal plates stay in the trash inside the Masjid, and that causes bad odor. I see that as not keeping the house of Allah clean and is Haram. Please advise in details.

---

Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Allah, The Most-High, forbade extravagance as He Said: {…..But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayatîn (devils), and the Shaitân (Devil ­ Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord.}[17:26-27].  However, if some eating and drinking utensils are used only once for a benefit; the cost of which is reasonable and appropriate for being used only once, this is not considered to be extravagance, like the plastic cups that are used only once for drinking in the Mosque in Makkah.  For health considerations these cups should be thrown away from the Mosque, because keeping the Mosque clean is a duty (an obligation) and polluting it is forbidden.  As Muslims we have to be careful, in making judgments.

Allah knows best.