(+92) 0317 1118263

Things given for the Masjid considered as Waqf

Laws of the Masjid,Expenses of the Masjid,Things given for the Masjid considered as Waqf

Fatwa: 38774
Things given for the Masjid considered as Waqf

الاستفتاء

Is the Masjid itself and the things given for the Masjid considered as Waqf?
Can the masjid’s Waqf committee sell the masjid that is there for the benefit of the entire muslim community, or its land, or the old unusable things in it in order to build a bigger one? Can the masjid’s old fans, water pumps, generator, clocks, cupboards, broken down walls, iron poles etc., be sold to purchase new things? Some people say that a masjid remains a masjid until the Day of Judgment, therefore its location cannot be changed. But no reference or evidence for that can be found in the Holy Quran or in any authentic hadith. This is why the only one condition is that the money attained from selling the masjid, its land and its old things be used in building a new masjid or spend on another masjid, because the people who donated money to the masjid, only donated for the sake of building and beautifying the house of Allah.

الجواب حامدا و مصلیا

Building a masjid is a form of Sadaqa Jariya. After its location has become waqf it is no longer the right or possession of its previous owner (i.e. the Waqif) and is now purely the right and permanent possession of Allah. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran “And Masjids (places of worship) are for only Allah”.
Just as it is not allowed for non-other than Allah to own it, similarly, according to Ahadith, other ownership rights, such as selling it, giving it to someone as a gift, or it making the family of the one who gave it for the sake of waqf its inheritors etc. is also prohibited. It is mentioned in Al-Sahihain that in the time of the holy prophetﷺ, Hazrat Umarؓ wanted to give his garden of date trees, that was known by the name Thamag, in charity, so he said to the Holy Prophet, “Oh Messenger of Allah, I have attained some wealth that is very valuable and dear to me and I would like to give it in charity.” So the Holy Prophetﷺ said, “Give it in charity, (and afterwards) it cannot be sold, neither can it be inherited not given as a gift, but its fruit can be given to the poor.” So Hazrat Umar, in this manner, gave his garden of dates in charity (Waqf).
It is clear from the mentioned Quranic verse and authentic hadith that the masjid is in Allah’s permanent ownership until the Day of Judgment. For this reason, the location of a masjid cannot be changed except in very specific cases. However, if there is no need for the things in the masjid that has nothing to do with its actual construction, such as cupboards, fans, generator etc., then after informing the one who gave the masjid as waqf or the one made responsible for matters regarding the masjid, it can be moved to another masjid close by or sold and its amount be spent on other necessities of the masjid.
However, moving such things that are directly connected to the construction of the masjid is not permissible as long as the masjid is populated. Such things can either be reused on the masjid itself or sold and its value be used on other necessities of the masjid.
And Allah knows best.

Allah Knows Better
Darulifta Jamia Binoria Aalamia
Fatwa No 38774 Verification