A new mosque is being built next to an existing one. Does the original mosque retain its full sacred status even with the new mosque alongside it?

The term ‘mosque’ has two usages: one general and one specific. The general usage refers to any part of the earth. The scriptural basis for this is the hadith narrated by Jabir Ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The earth has been made for me a mosque [place for prayer] and a means of purification” (Bukhari and Muslim). The specific meaning of the term refers to a building constructed for the purpose of prayer, in the sense that it is removed from human ownership and belongs solely to Allah Almighty. The erudite scholar, al-Zarkashy, noted in I’lam Al-Sajid bi Ahkam Al-Masajid (p. 28), “Since sujud [prostration] is the noblest act of prayer, drawing the servant closest to his Lord, the name of the place [where it is performed] is derived from it … By convention, the mosque is designated as a space dedicated for the five prescribed prayers. Other sites where people gather to pray, such as for ‘Eid and similar occasions, do not have the same ruling. The same applies to border garrisons and schools, as they are designated for other purposes.”

 

The ruling

Based on the above, if a particular plot of land is dedicated as a mosque, it immediately gains the status and rulings associated with mosques. This status and the associated rulings are not contingent on it being the only mosque in the same locality. Many mosques may coexist in the same area, with each one subject to the legal provisions applicable to mosques.

And Allah Almighty knows best.