Masjid fund management and chanda collection
A masjid committee handles other people's sadaqah. The bar for the record is therefore higher than for almost any other kind of community fund.
Short answer. A masjid fund needs the same record as any community fund, held to a stricter standard: every contribution recorded, every expense with its bill, and accounts published where the jamaat can read them without asking. Separate accounts for construction and running costs prevent the most common confusion.
Keep the pots separate
| Fund | Holds |
|---|---|
| Running costs | Electricity, water, cleaning, imam and staff, small repairs |
| Construction | Building, extension, major work — usually raised against a stated target |
| Zakat | Held and disbursed separately under its own rules |
| Sadaqah / general | Discretionary, spent by decision of the committee |
One balance covering all four cannot answer "how much has the construction appeal actually raised", which is the question people ask.
What every entry needs
- Contributions: amount, date, and the donor unless they asked otherwise.
- Expenses: amount, date, what it was for, the bill photographed, and who approved it.
- Construction: the target, the total raised so far, and what has been spent against it.
Publishing
A notice on the wall reaches the people who are already there. A record any member of the jamaat can open on their phone reaches the ones who moved away and still contribute — and those are often the largest donors.
Two signatures, always
No committee member should be able to move money alone. Two named approvers on every payment above a small threshold protects the committee far more than it constrains it: when a question is raised years later, the answer is on the record and involves two people.
Common questions
Should construction and running costs be kept apart?
Yes. Donors give to a construction appeal for construction. Mixing it with the electricity bill is the fastest way to lose the next appeal.
Can donations be anonymous?
They can be recorded without a name where the donor asks. The amount and date still go into the record so the total remains correct.
How often should accounts be published?
Monthly at minimum, and immediately after any large expense. Waiting for the annual meeting is how questions build up.
Read next
- Chanda collection: taking contributions and proving where they went — Collecting for a stated purpose, and reporting back
- Charity fund transparency: showing donors where it went — Reporting back is what raises the next round
- Madrasa fund collection and monthly fees — Fees, sponsorships and running costs in one record
- Making a fund balance something members can check — What transparency does and does not mean