Muhammad bin Ali al-Arfaj
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Muhammad bin Ali al-Arfaj is a contemporary Saudi Islamic scholar and preacher affiliated with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Riyadh, known for his treatise al-Mashru‘ wa-l-Mamnu‘ fi al-Masjid.
Career and Activities
Al-Arfaj served as a member of the Da'wah committee at the Riyadh branch of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah, and Guidance. In Shawwal 1419 AH (January–February 1999 CE), upon the request of the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Abdullah bin Abdulmuhsin al-Turki, al-Arfaj prepared a presentation for the Symposium on Mosque Architecture and its accompanying exhibition, hosted in cooperation with the College of Architecture and Planning at King Saud University in Riyadh.
His study, titled al-Mashru‘ wa-l-Mamnu‘ fi al-Masjid (The Legislated and the Prohibited in the Mosque), examines the legal parameters governing conduct in mosques, categorizing permissible and required actions—both obligatory and recommended—as well as improper conduct, whether prohibited or disliked. In it, he addressed preserving the cleanliness and sanctity of mosques against pollutants and distractions, highlighting their role as centers for collective worship, education, and community engagement.
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List of Works
al-Mashru‘ wa-l-Mamnu‘ fi al-Masjid is a treatise addressing the legal rulings, spiritual functions, and architectural etiquettes of mosques. Originally prepared for a 1419 AH (1999 CE) symposium on mosque architecture, it examines acts that are legislated to be performed within mosques—whether obligatory or recommended—alongside actions that are forbidden, whether strictly unlawful or disliked.