Building shops with a madrasa’s donation money

Question

The building of a madrasa has been constructed with donation money. Now the rector is of the view that four shops should be taken out of this madrasa, and instead the madrasa should be built on top of them, so that rental income keeps coming into the madrasa and this continues. Is this permissible in the Shari‘a or not?

Answer

If the people of the neighbourhood and the donors have no objection to it, then it is permissible. Addendum If the madrasa has already been built, then building a shop in it now is not permissible; if it has not yet been built and the donors are agreeable, then it is permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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