Reserving Places in the Mosque
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What many people do is reserve a place in the Sacred Mosque or in other mosques. For example, they place a Quran stand on their spot, and then they come back after six or seven hours, thereby preventing other Muslims who arrive before them from taking it. Is this permissible or not?
What we see regarding reserving places in the Sacred Mosque or in other mosques is that if a person reserves a place while he is still in the mosque, or if he leaves the mosque due to an urgent matter and intends to return soon, then there is no harm in that;But on the condition: if the rows are connected, he should move to his place so as not to step over people’s shoulders.
As for what some people do, where one of them reserves a place and then goes home to sleep, eat, and drink, or goes to his business to sell and buy, this is forbidden and not permissible.
This is the correct opinion in this issue.
However, we may be countered with the issue of reserving places in Mina, for it is mentioned that it was said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Should we not build you a structure -Meaning: in Mina -So he said: Mina is the resting place of whoever arrives first) .
So we say: If people reserve places in Mina, then reserve yours; because if you did not do so, you would not find a place. If all people feared Allah the Mighty and Majestic and left off reserving, and whoever arrived first had the right, that would be the best; but now the opposite happens. However, by the praise of Allah, in my opinion, the recent campaigns that take land with the permission of those responsible for distributing land are much better than reserving; because by that means, the areas are organized, and every person knows his place.
What we see regarding reserving places in the Sacred Mosque or in other mosques is that if a person reserves a place while he is still in the mosque, or if he leaves the mosque due to an urgent matter and intends to return soon, then there is no harm in that;But on the condition: if the rows are connected, he should move to his place so as not to step over people’s shoulders.
As for what some people do, where one of them reserves a place and then goes home to sleep, eat, and drink, or goes to his business to sell and buy, this is forbidden and not permissible.
This is the correct opinion in this issue.
However, we may be countered with the issue of reserving places in Mina, for it is mentioned that it was said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Should we not build you a structure -Meaning: in Mina -So he said: Mina is the resting place of whoever arrives first) .
So we say: If people reserve places in Mina, then reserve yours; because if you did not do so, you would not find a place. If all people feared Allah the Mighty and Majestic and left off reserving, and whoever arrived first had the right, that would be the best; but now the opposite happens. However, by the praise of Allah, in my opinion, the recent campaigns that take land with the permission of those responsible for distributing land are much better than reserving; because by that means, the areas are organized, and every person knows his place.