Hezbut Tawheed's Mosque-Centered Governance Model

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Jul 06, 2025

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The word masjid means “place of prostration.” However, prostration is not merely placing one's head on the ground for Allah, but rather the act of complete obedience to His commands. The Qur'an makes this clear through its usage of the word sajda (prostration). Allah says, “Whatever is in the heavens and the earth prostrates to Allah, willingly or unwillingly” (Surah Ra’d 13:15). Elsewhere, He says, “The stars and the trees prostrate to Him” (Surah Rahman 55:6, Surah Nahl 16:49).

For believers, religious and worldly life are intertwined. Therefore, in Islam, a mosque is not just a place of worship but serves as an administrative center for society and the state. During the early days of Islam, the mosque served as the hub of social, political, military, and spiritual activities.

After migrating to Madinah, the Prophet’s (ﷺ) first act was to build a mosque, which became the nucleus of all operations. Unfortunately, today mosques are used only for prayers and remain locked outside prayer times. Having separated social, educational, political, economic, and judicial functions from the mosque for centuries, the mosque has lost its holistic identity and now exists solely as a prayer space.

Based on the activities that took place in the mosque during the Prophet’s time, Hezbut Tawheed outlines the following policies in its proposed system of governance:

Administrative Center

In populated areas such as unions, sub-districts, and district centers, state-funded Jame Mosques will be built to facilitate administrative and economic activities and ensure public accessibility.

Daily prayer mosques (Panjegana) may be built through community funding but only with government approval. All mosques will be state-regulated and serve multiple national functions. The culture of constructing mosques on disputed land or without proper authorization will be stopped.

Friday sermons will follow centrally issued guidelines to relay national policies and messages. Through Friday prayers, people will receive updates on state perspectives and Islamic morals.

After regular prayers, community discussions mediated by mosque leaders (Amirs) will resolve conflicts, share information, and prevent the spread of rumors and disunity. Misuse of mosques for spreading hate or misinformation will not be tolerated.

Economic Center

Mosques will be a primary venue for collecting state taxes and donations, though modern methods may also be used. These funds will be forwarded to the central Bayt al-Mal (public treasury). Imams and khateebs will be considered state officials and receive government salaries commensurate with their status.

Muezzins and caretakers will also be compensated by the state, eliminating the need for public donations or roadside fundraising. From the mosque, aid will be distributed to the poor and needy.

Judicial Center

To make justice accessible, Jame Mosques will serve as arbitration centers where free community-based dispute resolution will be provided. Qualified judges in Islamic and civil law will conduct weekly hearings, issue verdicts, and enforce rulings.

On Fridays, exemplary punishments may be carried out publicly to uphold transparency and strengthen trust in Islamic justice. Serious or complex cases will be referred to higher courts, but most issues will be resolved locally.

Education and Training Center

Prayer (Salah) serves as character training for the Ummah—instilling unity, discipline, obedience, punctuality, teamwork, patience, focus, and spirituality.

Besides prayer, mosques will be educational centers for both men and women. Learned scholars will teach both religious and worldly subjects. Free Qur’an and Hadith lessons, practical jurisprudence, state regulations, and Islamic culture will be taught.

Separate institutions like schools, colleges, and universities will also exist. In the Prophet’s time, mosques also hosted sports, physical training, archery, and wrestling. The Prophet (ﷺ) would attend and sometimes participate with his family. Such activities offered recreation while keeping the youth active, strong, and ready to oppose injustice.

Residential Facilities

State guest houses will be built around mosques for government officers. The Prophet (ﷺ) himself lived near the mosque, and some Companions lived inside it—known as Ashab al-Suffa. Representatives from other tribes or states were also accommodated within mosque premises.

During later caliphates, mosque complexes were vast—for example, the Samarra Mosque in Iraq, built in 854 CE by Caliph al-Mutawakkil, covered 200,000 square meters. Inns (sarai khana) nearby offered food and shelter to travelers, the poor, and disaster-stricken people. These were funded by local donations and agricultural levies. Unlike today’s commercial hotels, hospitality in Islamic society was driven by compassion, not profit.

Women’s Participation

Women will have unrestricted access to mosques at all times for prayer or resolving personal crises. No one may deny this right. They will participate equally in prayers, sermons, judicial processes, weddings, aqiqah (naming ceremonies), discussions, and community events.

During Caliph Umar’s time, women frequented mosques so often that separate doors had to be constructed. In the early golden age, men and women prayed in the same congregation and listened to sermons together.

Law Enforcement and Military Functions

A nation’s law and military are critical. During the Prophet’s time, military operations were centered in the mosque. The area indicating the qibla direction was called the mihrab, meaning “battlefield.” Today, advanced military operations require bases, cantonments, airfields, and technology such as tanks, missiles, submarines, drones, and force fields. These will be maintained by the state’s armed forces.

However, mosques can still be used to train the general public in basic discipline, physical fitness, and civic duty, as they are hubs of voluntary participation. Linking the country’s thousands of mosques with national, military, economic, law enforcement, and social efforts will make them powerful institutions for development, peace, prosperity, and national security.

Social Events and Cultural Practices

Weddings, aqiqahs, and various religious and social functions will be conducted at the mosque. During the Prophet’s time, such ceremonies were often held there, and he encouraged the practice. Mosques will be key centers of Islamic cultural activity, helping counter toxic trends and foster a healthy culture.

Additionally, they can serve as centers for social services and family counseling, reducing the government’s need for separate administrative offices.

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