Source: Ahkam wa Masail – Masajid ka Bayan, vol. 1, p. 101
Can land purchased for a mosque be sold in order to buy another plot for building a mosque elsewhere?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
Yes, it is permissible—provided that the purpose is to maintain and prosper the mosque. This means the intention must be that a new mosque will be built on the newly purchased land and that it will be used for its rightful purpose.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعۡمُرُ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ﴾ (al-Tawbah: 18)
"The mosques of Allah are only maintained by those who believe in Allah."
And Allah ﷻ also says:
﴿وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ أَن يُذۡكَرَ فِيهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ وَسَعَىٰ فِي خَرَابِهَآۚ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 114)
"And who is more unjust than one who prevents the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strives toward their destruction?"
If land purchased for a mosque is sold out of necessity or for improvement, and another piece of land is purchased in its place where a mosque will be constructed, the action is permissible.
Condition: The entire process must be for the purpose of mosque construction and maintenance—not for personal or worldly gain.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَالله أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
Question
Can land purchased for a mosque be sold in order to buy another plot for building a mosque elsewhere?
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
Yes, it is permissible—provided that the purpose is to maintain and prosper the mosque. This means the intention must be that a new mosque will be built on the newly purchased land and that it will be used for its rightful purpose.
Qur’anic Evidence
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿إِنَّمَا يَعۡمُرُ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ﴾ (al-Tawbah: 18)
"The mosques of Allah are only maintained by those who believe in Allah."
And Allah ﷻ also says:
﴿وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ أَن يُذۡكَرَ فِيهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ وَسَعَىٰ فِي خَرَابِهَآۚ﴾ (al-Baqarah: 114)
"And who is more unjust than one who prevents the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strives toward their destruction?"
Summary
If land purchased for a mosque is sold out of necessity or for improvement, and another piece of land is purchased in its place where a mosque will be constructed, the action is permissible.
Condition: The entire process must be for the purpose of mosque construction and maintenance—not for personal or worldly gain.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَالله أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
