Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(313): "Ruling on Using the Land Endowed for a Masjid for another Purpose"

Date Added : 05-07-2022

Resolution No.(313) ,(10/2022):

"Ruling on Using the Land Endowed for a Masjid for another Purpose" 

Date (2 of Thilgidah, 1443 AH), corresponding to (2/6/2022 AD).

 

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

In its 8th meeting held on the above date, the Board of Iftaa` reviewed the letter sent from His Excellency, the Minister of Awqaf, Holy Sites and Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh. It read as follows:

We would like your Grace to clarify the ruling on burying someone in the yard of a Masjid that was built on the piece of land No.(6012), area No.(75), Naqib Ad-Daboor of Salt lands. The children of (H.M.K) dug a grave in the Masjid`s yard, owned originally by Montaha Hiari, and buried him there on 22nd of April, 2022.

After thorough deliberations, the Board decided what follows:

It isn`t permissible to use the land originally endowed as a Masjid for a purpose other than that for which it was endowed in the first place. In principle, an endowment can`t be sold, given as a present or inherited. Rather, it should be used for what it was endowed in the first place. Ibn Umar (May Allah Be Pleased with them): Umar bin Khattab got some land in Khaibar and he went to the Prophet (PBUH) to consult him about it saying: "O Allah's Messenger (PBUH) I got some land in Khaibar better than which I have never had, what do you suggest that I do with it?" The Prophet (PBUH) said: "If you like you can give the land as endowment and give its fruits in charity." So `Umar gave it in charity as an endowment on the condition that it would not be sold nor given to anybody as a present and not to be inherited, but its yield would be given in charity to the poor people, to the Kith and kin, for freeing slaves, for Allah's Cause, to the travelers and guests; and that there would be no harm if the guardian of the endowment ate from it according to his need with good intention, and fed others without storing it for the future." {Agreed upon}.

Jurists stated that the condition of the donor is considered and it isn`t permissible to violate it. Imam Al-Shirbini, a Shafie, stated: "In principle the conditions of the donor are considered as long as they don`t violate the purpose for which the endowment was endowed in the first place." {Moghni Al-Mohtaj, Vol.3: Page 540}.

The Masjid as well as all its facilities and spaces should be used only for the benefit of the Masjid itself and burying dead in its yards violates this purpose. Consequently, it isn`t permissible to bury the dead in the land endowed for a Masjid since doing so is a violation and usurpation of the endowment itself. However, if a dead person is buried there then the body must be removed to a public cemetery to preserve the purpose for which the land was endowed in the first place. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

 

Grand Mufti of Jordan, Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh

Prof. Mahmoud Al-Sartawi/ Member

Prof. Amjad Rasheed/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooah Al-Qhodah/ Member

Dr. Jameel Khatatbeh/ Member

Judge Dr. Samer Al-Kobbaj/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What are the Sunnahs and etiquettes related to the slaughtering of an animal?

 

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
1-Avoid terrifying the animal before it is slaughtered.
 
2-Do not slaughter the animal in front of others of its kind.
 
3-Offer water to the animal before the sacrifice.
 
4-Sharpen the knife thoroughly prior to slaughtering to ensure the cut is made as quickly and cleanly as possible. This is in accordance with the statement of our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Indeed, Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things. So when you kill, kill well; and when you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each of you sharpen his blade, and let him put his sacrificial animal at ease." (Narrated by Muslim)
 
Do not begin skinning the carcass until you are absolutely certain that the animal has completely passed away.
 
Slaughter cattle, sheep, and goats while they are lying down on their left side, facing the Qiblah (direction of prayer). Leave the right leg untied so the animal can move it, helping it rest more easily during its final moments. For camels, however, the preferred method (Nahr) is to slaughter them while they are standing up, with their left knee tied. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

Should the Zakah (obligatory charity) giver tell the poor recipient that this is the Zakah of his money?

No, he shouldn`t. But, the Zakah giver should make an intention in his heart that it is the Zakah of his money when paying it to the poor. And Allah Knows Best.

What are the legal and religious consequences for a charitable organization in the event that a sacrificial animal is damaged or spoiled after slaughter?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Charitable organizations entrusted with slaughtering sacrificial animals (uḍḥiyyah) and distributing their meat on behalf of their owners are obligated to safeguard the meat from spoilage, damage, theft, and any other harm. This is because such organizations act as agents (wukalā') on behalf of those offering the sacrifice, and an agent holds what is entrusted to them in trust (amānah) — whether they receive a wage for their work or act on a voluntary basis.
If the sacrificial animal is damaged after slaughter during the processes of packaging, transportation, or storage due to negligence or oversight — whether on the part of the organization's own staff overseeing the operation, or on the part of third parties contracted by the organization such as transport or shipping companies — then liability falls upon the negligent party, who is required to compensate for the value of the sacrifice. It is not permissible to cover such compensation from the organization's other donor funds.
However, if the damage to the sacrificial animal occurs without any negligence in its preservation and storage on the part of any party involved in the transportation, shipping, or storage process, and is instead attributable to force majeure circumstances beyond their control, then no financial liability is borne by any party in such a case. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on the follower`s prayer if the Imam stands for a fifth rak`ah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If the Imam stands up for an extra unit (rak‘ah) of prayer out of forgetfulness, he must return to the sitting position as soon as he remembers, and he should perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw). It is the duty of the congregants (Ma’mumin) behind him to remind him. However, if the Imam is in a state of doubt regarding the extra unit (and not certainty), it is not permissible for him to return.
 
As for the congregants: anyone who is certain that the Imam has stood for an extra unit is forbidden from following him. In this case, the follower has two choices: either intend to separate from the Imam (Mufaraqah) and finish the prayer alone, or wait for the Imam in the sitting position and perform the final salams with him—the latter being the preferred option. If a follower knowingly follows the Imam into an extra unit, their prayer becomes invalid. However, if a follower is in doubt and not certain of the mistake, they must continue following the Imam, as the Imam was appointed to be followed.
 
It is stated in Al-Majmu’ (Vol.4/P.145): 'If [the Imam] stands for a fifth rak‘ah, the follower should not follow him, even if it is assumed that the Imam might have omitted a pillar from a previous unit; because if the reality is known, following him is impermissible since the follower has certainly completed their own prayer. Even if the follower had missed a previous unit (Masbuq) or was in doubt about performing a pillar like the Fatihah, and the Imam stood for the fifth, it is not permissible for the latecomer to follow him in it. This is because we know that this unit is not counted for the Imam and that he is mistaken in performing it.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.