the area beneath the mosque into a drinking-water facility and shops to meet this need, it would also be permissible to demolish the mosque, turn its site into a drinking-water facility and shops, and build a replacement mosque elsewhere.”

This is plainly a strained interpretation that contradicts his explicit statement. His statement expressly concerns people wishing to raise a mosque above ground level and establish a drinking-water facility and shops beneath it, with some of them objecting. His answer was that the view of the majority should be considered. Had this concerned its initial construction, no one would have had grounds to dispute its construction if it was permissible, nor would the majority’s view have been considered. If they were jointly undertaking the construction, none of the partners could be compelled to accept what the others wanted unless it was obligatory, and it could only be built with their agreement.

Moreover, his words, “They wished to raise it above ground level and establish a drinking-water facility beneath it,” clearly indicate that it stood directly on the ground, and that they wished to raise it and establish a drinking-water facility underneath. Ahmad gave weight to the choice of the majority of those who prayed in the mosque because one must give preference to the better of the two options. What most of them chose would benefit the majority more, and would therefore deserve preference.

Furthermore, the wording of the case, as cited by Abū Bakr ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, is as follows. He said: “He said, as reported by Sulaymān ibn al-Ashʿath: ‘If a man builds a mosque and someone else wishes to demolish it and rebuild it better than before, but the original builder objects, the matter is referred to the wishes and consent of the neighbours, if they favour demolishing and rebuilding it. If they wish to raise the mosque above ground level and establish a drinking-water facility beneath it, but frail elderly men oppose them, saying, “We cannot climb up,” it is nevertheless to be raised and a drinking-water facility established beneath it. I know of no