grave danger and widespread corruption. The command belongs to Allah before and after.
19 — Decorating Mosques and Vying with One Another over Them:
Among these signs are decorating and ornamenting mosques and boasting about them. Imam Ahmad narrated from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The Hour will not come until people vie with one another over mosques.” (1)
In a narration reported by al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Khuzaymah, also from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Among the signs of the Hour is that people will vie with one another over mosques.” (2)
Al-Bukhārī stated: “Anas said: ‘They will vie with one another over them, yet they will frequent them only a little.’ Vying over them means lavishing attention on their ornamentation. Ibn Abbas said: ‘You will surely adorn them just as the Jews and Christians adorned theirs.’” (3)
Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, forbade the ornamentation of mosques because it distracts people from their prayer. When he ordered the Prophet’s Mosque to be renovated, he said: “Shelter the people from the rain, but beware of painting it red or yellow, lest you distract them.” (4)