Selling an Abandoned Mosque

Question

In our area, because the Muslims have left, many mosques have become deserted. The request is: is it permissible or not to sell to a Hindu the building of an unbaked mosque built of “ghar” (so in the text, ?), straw, wood and other materials? For there are no Muslim buyers, and if the building is left standing there is waste of property, and valuable materials get stolen. If it is permissible, what is the Sharʿi opinion on protecting the area of the mosque?

Answer

The sale of a waqf is impermissible; a waqf has no owner who could sell it. If no Muslims remain, then neither the mosque nor the person responsible for the mosque still has the authority to sell it. If the site of the mosque is secured, that is better.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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