In which mosque should the belongings of the mosque of a village washed away by the river be used?

Question

On the bank of the Jamna (Yamuna) there is a village which has been entirely washed away by the river; only a few houses and one mosque remain. The government has resettled this village in another place, in which there are three mosques. Now the old mosque is deserted, and there is a dispute over the use of its belongings. In which mosque may they be used — or may they not be used yet?

Answer

As long as the old mosque exists, its belongings should not be moved anywhere; rather, that very mosque should be kept populated with worshippers. If at some time it too is washed away by the river and the water takes possession of that place, then its belongings and funds should be moved, by mutual consultation, to whichever mosque has need of them.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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