Building a Basement beneath a Mosque

Question

What do the scholars of the religion and the muftis of the firm Shari‘a say regarding this matter: in the Shaykh Farrukh mosque, owing to insufficient space, the fuel is kept on the roofs of houses, from which damage is feared. The mutawallis (trustees) felt this need and have devised this measure: that a basement be built in the floor of the mosque on the southern side, by which this need would be met. This basement did not exist before; it will be newly made.

Answer

Such an alteration is impermissible; some other arrangement should be made. [ar]لَوْ بَنَى فَوْقَهُ بَيْتًا لِلْإِمَامِ لَا يَضُرُّ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مِنَ الْمَصَالِحِ، أَمَّا لَوْ تَمَّتِ الْمَسْجِدِيَّةُ ثُمَّ أَرَادَ الْبِنَاءَ مُنِعَ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: عَنَيْتُ، قَالَ لَمْ يُصَدَّقْ. تاتارخانية.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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