Which is better: building a mosque or helping a brother build his house when he is unable to do so on his own, knowing that the money is not designated for zakat?

Building mosques is among the best acts of drawing closer to Allah, and a form of ongoing charity (sadaqa jariya), because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, even if it be like a bird's nest, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise." Charity given to a needy relative is better because it combines charity and maintaining kinship ties, and because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Charity given to a poor person is one charity, and to a relative it is two: charity and maintaining kinship ties."

If the relative is in dire need of housing, unable to provide it for themselves, and it is not possible to combine assisting them with building a mosque, then assisting them takes precedence. This is because there are many who build mosques, unlike those who help the needy. However, if there is an urgent need to build a mosque, and the relative possesses the means to build a house, then building the mosque takes precedence.