What is the ruling on usurping land, and what is the sin of the one who does so, and is it permissible for the usurper or his heirs to benefit from what has been built upon it?
Whoever usurps land unjustly, their sin is great, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever takes a hand span of land unjustly, Allah will encircle him with it from seven earths," and "Whoever unjustly seizes a piece of land will meet Allah while He is angry with him," and "The greatest embezzlement in the sight of Allah is a cubit of land." The wronged person is permitted to reclaim their land or its value, or to benefit from it by, for example, parking their cars on it. This is known as the issue of al-Zafar (gaining one's right). As for the children of the usurper, they are not entitled to benefit from the usurped land, and it is their duty to strive to return it to its owner.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/79652