According to search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the act of maintaining the mosques of Allah (ya'murū masājid Allāh) is a sacred privilege reserved exclusively for believers. Quran 9:17 explicitly states it is not for the polytheists ('mushrikin') to tend to Allah's houses of worship, as they bear witness to their own disbelief, rendering their deeds worthless. Tafsir authorities like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi clarify that this prohibition stems from the fundamental contradiction between polytheism and the monotheistic purpose of a mosque. The subsequent verse, 9:18, provides the positive qualifications for this honor: sincere belief in Allah and the Last Day, consistent establishment of prayer, payment of zakah, and fearing none but Allah. This pairing of verses establishes a foundational principle in Islam: the guardianship of sacred spaces is not merely a physical act but a testament of faith, entrusted only to the community of believers.