Treating an Elementary Religious School and Madrasa as Personal Property

Question

An elementary religious school and madrasa runs with the support of the general public, in which the support of local Muslims is small and that of Muslims from outside is greater. If some particular community, some particular family or some particular person regards such an elementary school or madrasa as their own property or estate, or strives to make it their own property, what in such a case is the Shar‘i ruling regarding such ownership and the madrasa?

Answer

Such a madrasa is not the personal property of any individual or any family, and a claim of ownership over it is neither valid nor admissible. To regard or declare as one’s own property something that is not one’s property is wrong. Because of such a wrong act one should not cut off one’s connection with the religious madrasa; rather, one should continue to support it.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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