Relocating an Eidgah Because of a River in Between

Question

Question: A river lies between our Eidgah (the ground for the Eid prayer) and the small town, because of which one has to face very great hardship on the way to the Eidgah, so much so that many people are left without the prayer. In this situation all the people of the town have agreed that the Eidgah should be moved to some other place. What then will become of the former Eidgah, and to what use should it be put? May your answer also be in accordance with the Shariʿa.

Answer

If that Eidgah is a waqf, and because of the river standing in the way it is difficult to go there and pray, and a bridge over the river cannot be built either, then an orchard should be planted on that site, and after building an Eidgah elsewhere the income of the orchard should be spent on it, so that the original waqf also remains and its income is also spent on the Eidgah.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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