Causing Hardship to a Tenant Without Necessity

Question

Is the hardship they have caused the tenant permissible or impermissible? If a house is built there, does the first right belong to the old tenant (who had been living there for about twenty years) or to someone else? Kindly consider the matter and be sure to reply in writing.

Answer

Without a Sharʿi reason it is not permissible to cause hardship to a tenant — or indeed to anyone at all. If he was evicted by force with no regard to the interests (masalih) of the mosque, then this is oppression (zulm), and making amends for it is obligatory.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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