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Upkeep and building of property and mosques (imara, not the emirate)

عِمَارَة الأملاك والمساجد

In the lexicon, imara is what a thing is made to flourish by, and it also means building. As a term it is the doing of what keeps land or a building in good condition, such as reviving land, repairing and plastering a building 1. It is narrower than building, and than the revival of land in either sense 1 2. The supervisor of an endowment must keep it in repair from its income or from what the founder stipulated; a guardian must keep his ward's real estate in repair; a restrained person must keep his own property in repair; a free adult is not obliged to do so, though neglecting a ruin is disliked 2. The upkeep of mosques is a communal duty, kept by worship, teaching and cleaning, and is strongly recommended 2.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Prophetic Era
Region
Global / Diaspora
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

The poor and the workerSacred space and pilgrimage

Summary

In the lexicon, imara is what a thing is made to flourish by, and it also means building. As a term it is the doing of what keeps land or a building in good condition, such as reviving land and repairing a building 1.

Duty of upkeep

The supervisor of an endowment must keep it in repair from its income or from what the founder stipulated; a guardian must keep his ward's real estate in repair; a restrained person must keep his property in repair. A free adult is not obliged to keep his property in repair, though neglecting a ruin is disliked 2.

The mosque

Upkeep of mosques is a communal duty, kept by worship, teaching and cleaning 2.

Where to look further

Mosques are treated under «masjid» and endowments under «waqf» 2.

People and things also explored

The Porridge Vendor Goes on Hajj· One Day in the Haram· Al-Kadhimiya Mosque (Kazimayn shrine)· al-Qullays (the Yemeni Kaaba)· Zamzam Well· Dar al-Nadwa· Dhu al-Khalasa (the 'Ka'ba of Yemen')· Imam Husayn Shrine, Karbala

Sources

  1. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11805
  2. al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.11806
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Upkeep and building of property and mosques (imara, not the emirate)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/upkeep-imara/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-23.

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The Porridge Vendor Goes on Hajj

A long-running Indonesian series about a poor porridge vendor saving for the hajj — the country's longest-running religious drama and a Ramadan staple.