What is the ruling on praying in a mosque built on government land without the state's approval, and is this land considered usurped?
Building a mosque on land that the state claims ownership of is not considered usurpation if the land is mawat (barren/unclaimed). Jurists are of the opinion that whoever builds a mosque on mawat land, it becomes a mosque. Mawat land is land that has no owner and no benefit. However, if the state has taken possession of the land through ownership or reclamation, it is not permissible to build on it without its permission, and doing so would be considered usurpation. Furthermore, it is obligatory to abide by the state's prohibition of building without a license, for the public interest.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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