Some of the attendees in the mosque reserve several spots in this mosque, then they do not arrive until late!

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This question has been repeated on more than one night. The questioner says: Some of the attendees in the mosque now reserve several spots in this mosque or another, in this mosque or another, and then they do not arrive until late. They sit in one spot, and they let whoever they wish sit in the other spots. What is the ruling on that?

Answer:
Reserving a spot in the mosque, if the person reserving it is present in the mosque but has gone to perform wudu, for example, or for a quick need, meaning a pressing need he went to attend to and will return soon, there is nothing wrong with it, because he is considered present.
Or, for example, if he is sitting in one part of the mosque, for instance, he reserves a spot in the first row and goes to the last pillar because that is better for hearing him near the loudspeaker, for example, or near the microphone, or so that he can be comfortable in his sitting, there is nothing wrong with this, because he is present in the mosque. There is nothing wrong with this, because he is present in the mosque and moved from his spot for a need while he is in the mosque; there is nothing wrong with this. As for the third type, the one who reserves a spot and then goes to his business outside the mosque, buying and selling, or eating and drinking, or sitting with people and laughing and passing the time, relying on the fact that he has reserved his spot in the mosque, whenever he comes, this is not permissible. This is not permissible, and his action is injustice. It is obligatory to remove this reservation and allow those who arrived earlier to take this spot, because he has no right to it. Yes.