Originally, Muslims, especially those living in majority non-Muslim countries should try their best to construct Mosques as well as other Islamic establishments on their own. This will give them a better image in the communities where they live. Not only that, but rich Muslims throughout the world should try their best to back them financially. Coming to the issue of Muslims receiving monetary contributions from non-Muslims, we can say that it is debatable issues among Muslim scholars and jurists.
Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, states the following: “Muslim scholars have agreed on the fact that non-Muslims are not rewarded for the good and righteous deeds they do. This is supported by the Qur’anic verse which reads: “And We shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes.” (Al-Furqan: 23)
It stands to reason that the reward which the non-Muslim receives for his charitable and good acts is usually translated into people’s love and kindness towards him, and their praise for the good works he makes. However, in the Hereafter he receives no reward.
As for donations that non-Muslims contribute in building Mosques and whether Muslims are allowed to accept such donations, Muslim scholars state that Islam permits Muslims to deal with non-Muslims and hence there is nothing wrong in accepting such donations. As for the Prophetic Hadith “Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good”, we can say that the Hadith does not apply here as Allah’s acceptance to that which is good refers to the great reward Allah has in store in the Hereafter for those who do such good works, whereas non-Muslims will not receive such rewards according to the afore-mentioned verse.
Imam Ash-Shafi`i states that it is permissible for a non-Muslim to allocate a place for building a Mosque for Muslims. According to him, there is nothing wrong with non-Muslims making endowments for Mosques.”
Tackling the issue from another perspective, Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Islamic lecturer and author, states the following:
“There is nothing wrong with accepting unsolicited gifts and donations from non-Muslims, and it is permissible to spend them on Islamic projects and in other ways.
But asking for donations from non-Muslims carries several risks, such as being taken as a means of humiliating or subjugating them.
If there is no danger of such things happening, there is nothing wrong with requesting donations from them. This is backed by the fact that when he was still in Makkah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek help for the sake of da`wah, without any humiliation involved, from some of the unbelievers, such as his uncle Abu Talib and others.”