Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (11/59)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

His statement, “And it is not to be sold,” means that an endowment is not to be sold, because selling it entails nullifying the endowment. If we were to permit its sale, ownership would pass to the purchaser and the endowment would be invalidated. An endowment is a binding contract and may not be sold. It may, however, be leased, because its rental income is derived from the benefit that has been dedicated. Nor may it be pledged as security, because a pledge is intended to enable the pledged property to be sold and the debt recovered from it. If we say that it may not be sold, then pledging it serves no purpose. Either we say that the pledge is valid and that it may be sold to settle the debt—which entails nullifying the endowment—or we say that the pledge is invalid, because even if it were valid, it would serve no purpose. Thus, it may not be sold, nor may any contract intended to result in its sale be made concerning it.

“Unless its benefits cease, in which case its price is to be spent on something similar to it. Even if it is a mosque, its furnishings and whatever exceeds its needs may be transferred to another mosque or given in charity to poor Muslims.”

His statement, “Unless its benefits cease”: in this case, it may be sold. For example, if a man endows his house for his children and the house collapses, it may be sold.

His statement, “It is not to be sold unless its benefits cease,” apparently indicates that it may not be sold under any circumstances except in this case. This is because one of the established principles is that “an exception is the criterion of generality”; that is, it establishes generality in all cases other than the one excluded. Accordingly, it may not be sold in any circumstance except when its benefits have ceased.

If its benefits diminish but do not cease altogether, it is not to be sold; rather, it remains as it is until its benefits cease, even if it is of no real benefit.

Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, held that it may be sold when doing so serves an interest, so that it may be replaced with something better. He cited as evidence the account of the man who vowed that, if Allah granted His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, the conquest of Makkah, he would pray in Jerusalem.

قوله: «ولا يباع» يعني لا يباع الوقف؛ لأن بيعه يقتضي إبطال الوقف، فلو قلنا بجواز البيع انتقل إلى المشتري وبطل الوقف، والوقف عقد لازم فلا يجوز بيعه، ويجوز تأجيره؛ لأن أجرته من المنفعة التي سُبِّلت، ولا يجوز رهنه؛ لأن الرهن يراد لبيع المرهون واستيفاء الدين منه، وإذا قلنا: لا يباع، بقي الرهن عديم الفائدة، فإما أن يقال: إن الرهن صحيح، ويباع في قضاء الدين، وهذا يلزم منه إبطال الوقف، وإما أن نقول: إن الرهن لا يصح؛ لأنه لو صح فلا فائدة منه، إذاً لا يجوز بيعه، ولا عقد يراد به بيعه. إِلاَّ أَنْ تَتَعَطَّلَ مَنافِعُهُ وَيُصْرَفُ ثَمَنُهُ فِي مِثْلِهِ، وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ مَسْجِدٌ وَآلَتُهُ وَمَا فَضَلَ عَنْ حَاجَتِهِ جَازَ صَرْفُهُ إِلى مَسْجِدٍ آخَرَ والصَّدَقَةُ بِهِ عَلَى فُقَرَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ، قوله: «إلا أن تتعطل منافعه» ففي هذه الحال يجوز أن يباع، كرجل أوقف داره على أولاده فانهدمت الدار، فيجوز أن تباع. وقوله: «ولا يباع إلا أن تتعطل منافعه» ظاهره أنه لا يباع بأي حال من الأحوال إلا في هذه الصورة؛ لأن من القواعد المقررة (أن الاستثناء معيار العموم) يعني يدل على العموم فيما عدا الصورة المستثناة، فعلى هذا لا يباع بأي حال من الأحوال إلا في هذه الحال، وهي إذا تعطلت منافعه. فإن نقصت المنافع ولم تتعطل، فإنه لا يباع فيبقى على ما هو عليه حتى تتعطل، ولا يكون فيه فائدة. واختار شيخ الإسلام ﵀ جواز بيعه للمصلحة بحيث ينقل إلى ما هو أفضل، واستدل لهذا بقصة الرجل الذي نذر إن فتح الله على رسوله ﷺ مكة أن يصلي في بيت المقدس