Is it permissible for me to read books labeled "Waqf for the sake of Allah" and benefit from them in my home, or must I return them to the mosque where they were, knowing that no one reads them in the mosque?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The phrase "(وقف لله تعالى) dedicated to Allah Almighty" means that the books are not for sale. It does not necessarily mean they must be dedicated to a mosque; rather, it depends on the endower's condition. If the condition is unknown, the default is non-obligation and non-binding. If it is established that the books were dedicated to a mosque, they must remain there, and the endower cannot change the endowment. However, if the purpose of the endowment is no longer served and no one benefits from the books, it is permissible to transfer them to another mosque.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/187915
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 187915
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy