Is it permissible for a person who does not own land and cannot afford to buy it, to pay an amount to a real estate agent to submit an application on his behalf to the Real Estate Development Fund, and then the land reverts to the agent thereafter?

It is not permissible to apply to the Real Estate Development Fund with land that is symbolically owned, whether its deed was obtained for free or for a price. This involves lying, deception, and unlawfully consuming wealth. Anyone who assists in this prohibited act, whether by lending the land or selling it through a symbolic, redeemable sale, is a partner in sin. Senior scholars have issued fatwas prohibiting this, as the applicant presents land as his own, which is a lie, and what results from lying is unlawful. This act is forbidden and it is not permissible for a Muslim to do it because it combines lying, betrayal, unlawfully consuming wealth, and leading to future problems. The aforementioned symbolic transfer is not permissible due to what it entails of lying, deceit, and disrespect for legitimate contracts, as the sale in this form is a mere formality and not a reality. It also entails other corruptions that lead to disputes and animosity.