Fatwa ID: 09082
Answered by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Question:
Hope and pray this message finds you well.
I would like to seek guidance regarding an issue affecting our local Afghan Muslim community.
From the outset, community members collectively raised approximately £100,000 with the intention of establishing a masjid. A church building was available for purchase for £140,000, with the plan to buy it and convert it into a masjid.
During this process, an individual offered to contribute financially. However, before the community could formally establish a charity to hold the property, this individual paid the full £140,000 himself and purchased the church. He then registered the property under his own pre-existing charity and later declared it as waqf for use as a masjid.
Several concerns have since arisen:
* The property remains under his charity’s sole control, rather than a community-based or Afghan-led charity as initially intended.
* He manages all decisions and expenditures independently, without consultation (mashwara).
* The previously collected community funds (approx. £100,000) have been spent without transparent oversight.
* According to him, these funds were used for various expenses, including temporary masjid arrangements (such as carpets and partitions), heaters, utility bills, legal fees, and architect costs. These arose partly because the council did not approve the initial design plans, requiring revisions and further professional involvement.
* Control of bank accounts and administration is entirely at his discretion.
* Despite community requests, he has not transferred ownership or allowed shared governance.
This situation has led to significant disunity within the community.
The key question is:
Given that the property (originally a church, now used as a masjid) has been declared as waqf but remains under his exclusive control, does this situation fall under ghasb/غصب (usurpation)? And accordingly, is it permissible to perform salah in this masjid?
We kindly request your guidance on this matter.
The written fatwa will be shared with the community Insha’Allah.
Jazakum Allahu khayran.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
A waqf is the endowment of property for the benefit of a charitable cause in perpetuity.[1] The waqf of a property is permissible for the beneficial and rewardable cause of being a masjid, and so the initial purchase of the church building by the individual with their own money and their subsequent declaration of it as a waqf was valid.[1]
While a waqf should ideally be entrusted to a trustworthy trustee, it is permissible for the one who endowed the waqf to appoint himself as the trustee of the waqf.[2] Only if the endower is ruled by a qualified Muslim judge to be untrustworthy regarding the endowment, or if removing him would be beneficial to the endowment itself, may the judge remove the endower from his trusteeship and appoint someone else.[3] If the endower-trustee is trustworthy in the waqf, the judge cannot remove him from being the trustee.[3]
The question arises here as to the circumstances of the individual’s acquisition of the community funds. If the money entrusted to the individual for use in a masjid or was donated to the waqf (ie: the masjid) under the individual’s trusteeship, then it is permissible and the individual must use it for the benefit of the waqf.[4] So long as the money was used in a correct manner, it is not necessary for him to consult the community or inform them of his expenditures.
In this case, no usurpation will have occurred. It is permissible for you to pray salah in this masjid.
However, if the money was not entrusted to the individual in question, or there was some other problem regarding spending consent in the chain of custody of the funds, then the matter hinges on exactly how and why the money entered his ownership. Representatives from the community who donated the money should consult a qualified Islamic judge along with the individual in question with the exact details of the case and all relevant documents.
A person should not spend ill-gotten gains on a masjid, as this is impure money which Allah (ﷻ) does not accept.[5] Nevertheless, even if the upkeep money was obtained in an impermissible manner, since the money used to buy the property itself was from the individual’s own lawful wealth, prayer in this masjid would not be considered as prayer on usurped land.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
كِتَابُ الْوَقْفِ مُنَاسَبَتُهُ لِلشَّرِكَةِ إدْخَالُ غَيْرِهِ مَعَهُ فِي مَالِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ مِلْكَهُ بَاقٍ فِيهَا لَا فِيهِ. (هُوَ) لُغَةً الْحَبْسُ. وَشَرْعًا (حَبْسُ الْعَيْنِ عَلَى) حُكْمِ (مِلْكِ الْوَاقِفِ وَالتَّصَدُّقُ بِالْمَنْفَعَةِ) وَلَوْ فِي الْجُمْلَةِ
…
وَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ (عِنْدَهُ) جَائِزٌ غَيْرُ لَازِمٍ كَالْعَارِيَّةِ (وَعِنْدَهُمَا هُوَ حَبْسُهَا عَلَى) حُكْمِ (مِلْكِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى
…
وَصَرْفُ مَنْفَعَتِهَا عَلَى مَنْ أَحَبَّ) وَلَوْ غَنِيًّا فَيَلْزَمُ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ لَهُ إبْطَالُهُ وَلَا يُورَثُ عَنْهُ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى ابْنُ الْكَمَالِ وَابْنُ الشِّحْنَةِ
…
بِالْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنَّهُ حَبْسٌ عَلَى مِلْكِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِالْإِجْمَاعِ
…
لِمَا فِي النَّهْرِ عَنْ الْمُحِيطِ: لَوْ وَقَفَ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ وَحْدَهُمْ لَمْ يَجُزْ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِقُرْبَةٍ، أَمَّا لَوْ جَعَلَ آخِرَهُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ يَكُونُ قُرْبَةً فِي الْجُمْلَةِ اهـ وَبِهَذَا التَّعْمِيمِ صَارَ التَّعْرِيفُ جَامِعًا وَاسْتَغْنَى عَمَّا زَادَهُ فِيهِ الْكَمَالُ، وَتَبِعَهُ ابْنُ كَمَالٍ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ أَوْ صَرَفَ مَنْفَعَتَهَا إلَى مَنْ أَحَبَّ وَقَالَ إنَّ الْوَقْفَ يَصِحُّ لِمَنْ يُحِبُّ مِنْ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ بِلَا قَصْدِ الْقُرْبَةِ، وَهُوَ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فِي آخِرِهِ مِنْ الْقُرْبَةِ بِشَرْطِ التَّأْبِيدِ كَالْفُقَرَاءِ وَمَصَالِحِ الْمَسْجِدِ لَكِنَّهُ يَكُونُ وَقْفًا قِيلَ انْقِرَاضُ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ بِلَا تَصَدُّقٍ اهـ أَفَادَهُ فِي النَّهْرِ
…
وَعِنْدَهُمَا يَلْزَمُ بِدُونِ ذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ عَامَّةِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَهُوَ الصَّحِيحُ. ثُمَّ إنَّ أَبَا يُوسُفَ يَقُولُ يَصِيرُ وَقْفًا بِمُجَرَّدِ الْقَوْلِ لِأَنَّهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْإِعْتَاقِ عِنْدَهُ، وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.4 p.337-339
الْبَابُ الثَّانِي فِيمَا يَجُوزُ وَقْفُهُ وَمَا لَا يَجُوزُ وَفِي وَقْفِ الْمُشَاعِ) يَجُوزُ وَقْفُ الْعَقَارِ مِثْلِ الْأَرْضِ وَالدُّورِ وَالْحَوَانِيتِ كَذَا فِي الْحَاوِي
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.360
[2]
وَعِنْدَهُمَا حَبْسُ الْعَيْنِ عَلَى حُكْمِ مِلْكِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَى وَجْهٍ تَعُودُ مَنْفَعَتُهُ إلَى الْعِبَادِ فَيَلْزَمُ وَلَا يُبَاعُ وَلَا يُوهَبُ وَلَا يُورَثُ كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ وَفِي الْعُيُونِ وَالْيَتِيمَةِ إنَّ الْفَتْوَى عَلَى قَوْلِهِمَا كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ أَبِي الْمَكَارِمِ لِلنُّقَايَةِ وَإِنَّمَا يَزُولُ مِلْكُ الْوَاقِفِ عَنْ الْوَقْفِ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – بِالْقَضَاءِ وَطَرِيقُهُ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ الْوَاقِفُ مَا وَقَفَهُ إلَى الْمُتَوَلِّي ثُمَّ يَرْجِعَ مُحْتَجِبًا
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.350
جَعْلُ الْوِلَايَةِ لِنَفْسِهِ يَصِحُّ عِنْدَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -، وَهُوَ ظَاهِرُ الْمَذْهَبِ وَلَمْ يَصِحَّ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.352
الْبَابُ الْخَامِسُ فِي وِلَايَةِ الْوَقْفِ وَتَصَرُّفِ الْقَيِّمِ فِي الْأَوْقَافِ وَفِي كَيْفِيَّةِ قِسْمَةِ الْغَلَّةِ وَفِيمَا إذَا قَبِلَ الْبَعْضُ دُونَ الْبَعْضِ أَوْ مَاتَ الْبَعْضُ وَالْبَعْضُ حَيٌّ) الصَّالِحُ لِلنَّظَرِ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْأَلْ الْوِلَايَةَ لِلْوَقْفِ وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ فِسْقٌ يُعْرَفُ هَكَذَا فِي فَتْحِ الْقَدِيرِ وَفِي الْإِسْعَافِ لَا يُوَلَّى إلَّا أَمِينٌ قَادِرٌ بِنَفْسِهِ أَوْ بِنَائِبِهِ وَيَسْتَوِي فِيهِ الذَّكَرُ وَالْأُنْثَى وَكَذَا الْأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ وَكَذَا الْمَحْدُودُ فِي قَذْفٍ إذَا تَابَ، وَيُشْتَرَطُ فِي الصِّحَّةِ بُلُوغُهُ وَعَقْلُهُ كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ الرَّائِقِ وَإِنْ جَعَلَ وِلَايَتَهُ إلَى مَنْ يَخْلُفُ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَلَّى الْقَاضِي أَمْرَ الْوَقْفِ رَجُلًا يَخْلُفُ وَلَدَهُ وَيَكُونُ مَوْضِعًا لِلْوِلَايَةِ فَتَكُونُ الْوِلَايَةُ إلَيْهِ وَهَذَا اسْتِحْسَانٌ وَكَذَلِكَ إذَا أَوْصَى إلَى صَبِيٍّ فِي وَقْفِهِ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ فِي الْقِيَاسِ وَلَكِنْ اُسْتُحْسِنَ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْوِلَايَةُ إلَيْهِ إذَا كَبُرَ وَإِذَا جَعَلَ إلَى غَائِبٍ نَصَّبَ الْقَاضِي رَجُلًا حَتَّى إذَا حَضَرَ الْغَائِبُ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ كَذَا فِي الْحَاوِي وَلَا تُشْتَرَطُ الْحُرِّيَّةُ وَالْإِسْلَامُ لِلصِّحَّةِ لِمَا فِي الْإِسْعَافِ وَلَوْ كَانَ عَبْدًا يَجُوزُ قِيَاسًا وَاسْتِحْسَانًا وَالذِّمِّيُّ فِي الْحُكْمِ كَالْعَبْدِ فَلَوْ أَخْرَجَهُمَا الْقَاضِي ثُمَّ أُعْتِقَ الْعَبْدُ أَوْ أَسْلَمَ الذِّمِّيُّ لَا تَعُودُ الْوِلَايَةُ إلَيْهِمَا كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ الرَّائِقِ
وَفِي فَتَاوَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ سُئِلَ عَمَّنْ شَرَطَ فِي أَصْلِ الْوَقْفِ الْوِلَايَةَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِأَوْلَادِهِ، قَالَ: يَجُوزُ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ، كَذَا فِي التَّتَارْ خَانِيَّةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.408
[3]
وَلَوْ أَنَّ الْوَاقِفَ شَرَطَ الْوِلَايَةَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَكَانَ الْوَاقِفُ غَيْرَ مَأْمُونٍ عَلَى الْوَقْفِ فَلِلْقَاضِي أَنْ يَنْزِعَهَا مِنْ يَدِهِ كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ وَلَوْ تَرَكَ الْعِمَارَةَ فِي يَدِهِ مِنْ غَلَّتِهِ مَا يُمْكِنُهُ أَنْ يُعَمِّرَهُ فَالْقَاضِي يُجْبِرُهُ عَلَى الْعِمَارَةِ فَإِنْ فَعَلَ وَإِلَّا أَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ يَدِهِ كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ وَلَوْ أَنَّ الْوِلَايَةَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَشَرَطَ أَنْ لَيْسَ لِسُلْطَانٍ أَوْ قَاضٍ عَزْلُهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ هُوَ مَأْمُونًا فِي وِلَايَةِ الْوَقْفِ كَانَ الشَّرْطُ بَاطِلًا وَلِلْقَاضِي أَنْ يَعْزِلَهُ وَيُوَلِّيَ غَيْرَهُ كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ لِلْقَاضِي أَنْ يَعْزِلَ الَّذِي نَصَّبَهُ الْوَاقِفُ إذَا كَانَ خَيْرًا لِلْوَقْفِ كَذَا فِي الْفُصُولِ الْعِمَادِيَّةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.409
[4]
رَجُلٌ أَعْطَى دِرْهَمًا فِي عِمَارَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ نَفَقَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ مَصَالِحِ الْمَسْجِدِ صَحَّ؛ لِأَنَّهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يُمْكِنُ تَصْحِيحُهُ تَمْلِيكًا بِالْهِبَةِ لِلْمَسْجِدِ فَإِثْبَاتُ الْمِلْكِ لِلْمَسْجِدِ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَجْهِ صَحِيحٌ فَيَتِمُّ بِالْقَبْضِ، كَذَا فِي الْوَاقِعَاتِ الْحُسَامِيَّةِ
Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.2 p.460
[5]
قَالَ تَاجُ الشَّرِيعَةِ: أَمَّا لَوْ أَنْفَقَ فِي ذَلِكَ مَالًا خَبِيثًا وَمَالًا سَبَبُهُ الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ فَيُكْرَهُ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَا يَقْبَلُ إلَّا الطَّيِّبَ، فَيُكْرَهُ تَلْوِيثُ بَيْتِهِ بِمَا لَا يَقْبَلُهُ. اهـ
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.1 p.658