Fatwa No : 85237
Ruling on Selling a Mosque and Using the Money to Build Another Mosque

Ruling on Selling a Mosque and Using the Money to Build Another Mosque

What do the honorable Muftis say regarding the following issue: In our city there is a population of approximately fifty thousand (50,000) people, and only two mosques have been built. One of these mosques used to hold the five daily prayers in congregation along with the call to prayer (Adhan). A few years ago, an imam was appointed there who is not a qualified scholar, and after some time, due to the mosque being small and congested, he sold the mosque and, with that money, constructed a larger mosque at another location, even though there is a permanent Muslim population in the original area. Now the question is: Was the action of this imam Islamically permissible? And does the first mosque still remain a mosque according to Shari‘ah, or is it permissible to build houses or other buildings on that land? Please provide an answer and guidance.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be understood that once a mosque is built at a place and the call to prayer (Adhan) and congregational prayers begin to be performed there regularly, it remains a mosque forever. Therefore, in the case mentioned, the action of the said imam is not permissible according to Shariʿah, and as a result, he has committed a very serious sin. It is obligatory upon him to sincerely repent and seek forgiveness for this action. Moreover, it is still not permissible to use that place for any purpose other than a mosque.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما في الدر المختار: لا يملك ولا يملك ولا يعار ولا يرهن) اھ(4/ 352)۔
و في حاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار): (قوله: لا يملك) أي لا يكون مملوكا لصاحبه ولا يملك أي لا يقبل التمليك لغيره بالبيع ونحوه لاستحالة تمليك الخارج عن ملكه، ولا يعار، ولا يرهن لاقتضائهما الملك درر اھ (4/ 352)۔
وفيه ايضاً : قال في البحر: وبه علم أن الفتوى على قول محمد في آلات المسجد وعلى قول أبي يوسف في تأبيد المسجد اهـ (4/ 359)۔
و في الهداية شرح البداية: قال ومن اتخذ أرضه مسجدا لم يكن له أن يرجع فيه ولا يبيعه ولا يورث عنه لأنه تجرد عن حق العباد وصار خالصا لله وهذا لأن الأشياء كلها لله تعالى وإذا أسقط العبد ما ثبت له من الحق رجع إلى أصله فانقطع تصرفه عنه كما في الإعتاق ولو خرب ما حول المسجد واستغنى عنه يبقى مسجدا عند أبي يوسف لأنه إسقاط منه فلا يعود إلى ملكه اھ (3/ 20)۔