[kranfid]

In my own community we have had instaces where homeless Muslims have done drugs in the Masjid when we used to have it open from Fajr to Isha, even between prayers. Furthermore, we had an individual attempt to steal the Sadaqah box but who was unable to do so because it was chained quite well. Since those incidents, our Masjid is open only 15 minutes before each prayer begins and for only 15 minutes after each one ends, excepting Jumah (where the Masjid is opened about an hour before and closed about an hour afterward, except during the winter when Asr comes in fairly early) and on Sundays during the time that they have weekend classes for kids.

However, despite the above, me and my family have opposed the closing of the Masjid between prayers and the Masjid Council's unwillingness to let homeless Muslims stay in the masjid. I am all for thinking of solutions to deal with issues like potential drug use, theft of property, etc. but I think that even while we are attempting to come up with solutions we shouldn't put a "freeze" on homeless or needy Muslims staying in the masjid temporarily when they really have nowhere else to go and there is no Muslim who is willing to take them into their own home (something that some people coming from some ethnic backgrounds are FAR MORE willing to do than others which is quite unfortunate) or put them up in a hotel or something of the sort.

There's something unsettling to me about turning someone away from the house of Allah.