Is it permissible to demolish an old mosque built on the roof of a house in order to construct commercial shops in its place, after a neighboring plot of land became available to build a larger mosque upon it?
Whoever builds a mosque and calls the Adhan for prayer in it, that mosque leaves his ownership and becomes an endowment for Allah Almighty. It is not permissible for him to go back on that, or to demolish it, sell it, or move it, unless there is a benefit that accrues to the endowment, such as if the mosque is abandoned and its benefits are disrupted, or if it becomes too small for its congregants. In such cases, it is permissible to move it to another place that is wider and more accessible.
However, if the first mosque is spacious and suitable for those around it, it is not permissible to remove it from the endowment by demolition or sale. Nor is it permissible to build another mosque close to it, so as not to divide the Muslim community.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/33072