Ruling on Reserving a Place in the Mosque
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Question:
What is your opinion regarding a person who reserves a place in the mosque with a prayer mat, a cloak, or something else?
Answer:
If he is sitting in the mosque and places something in his spot, then sits elsewhere in the mosque to have more space, to read the Qur'an, or to stay away from the noise of people, there is no harm in that, because he is present in the mosque. However, if he places this item and leaves to buy and sell, and does not sleep in his home, and then returns, that is not permissible. Likewise, if he places it and leaves to perform wudu' or to attend to a need at home and returns shortly, there is no harm. But if he reserves the place and leaves the mosque to go sleep, or to go buy and sell, and then comes back near the iqamah or near the time the imam enters for Jumu'ah, having reserved this place and prevented those who came before him from using it, this is haram (forbidden) for him. This is haram (forbidden) for him, and it is not permissible to be negligent in the mosque. The summary of what I have mentioned to you is: if he is in the mosque reading, remembering Allah, or praying, and reserves the place while he is present, or if he leaves for a need and returns, that is a matter of course. But if he reserves the place and leaves and does not return until after a period of time, whether for sleep or otherwise, this is not permissible. It is obligatory for him that when he comes, he takes any spot that is available to him, because the one who arrived earlier has the right, for the one who arrived earlier has the right to the place. Likewise, if he sends a servant while he is present and watching, and he is in the mosque or intends to come back soon, he does not do this. But if he sends a servant while he is present and intends to go eat dinner, or is invited to a meal, or intends to sleep, or intends to go chat and talk, this is not permissible; it is haram (forbidden). That is, the servant's arrival is like placing the prayer mat; they are the same.
What is your opinion regarding a person who reserves a place in the mosque with a prayer mat, a cloak, or something else?
Answer:
If he is sitting in the mosque and places something in his spot, then sits elsewhere in the mosque to have more space, to read the Qur'an, or to stay away from the noise of people, there is no harm in that, because he is present in the mosque. However, if he places this item and leaves to buy and sell, and does not sleep in his home, and then returns, that is not permissible. Likewise, if he places it and leaves to perform wudu' or to attend to a need at home and returns shortly, there is no harm. But if he reserves the place and leaves the mosque to go sleep, or to go buy and sell, and then comes back near the iqamah or near the time the imam enters for Jumu'ah, having reserved this place and prevented those who came before him from using it, this is haram (forbidden) for him. This is haram (forbidden) for him, and it is not permissible to be negligent in the mosque. The summary of what I have mentioned to you is: if he is in the mosque reading, remembering Allah, or praying, and reserves the place while he is present, or if he leaves for a need and returns, that is a matter of course. But if he reserves the place and leaves and does not return until after a period of time, whether for sleep or otherwise, this is not permissible. It is obligatory for him that when he comes, he takes any spot that is available to him, because the one who arrived earlier has the right, for the one who arrived earlier has the right to the place. Likewise, if he sends a servant while he is present and watching, and he is in the mosque or intends to come back soon, he does not do this. But if he sends a servant while he is present and intends to go eat dinner, or is invited to a meal, or intends to sleep, or intends to go chat and talk, this is not permissible; it is haram (forbidden). That is, the servant's arrival is like placing the prayer mat; they are the same.
Source
حجز الأماكن في المسجد — alfawzan.live
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.