on the basis of this testimony without seeking further clarification? What is the ruling on all the matters raised in this question? Please give us a detailed ruling; may you be rewarded, if Allah Most High wills.”

He replied:

“Praise be to Allah. Testimony asserting entitlement under an endowment is inadmissible; the same applies to inheritance. These are matters requiring independent juristic judgment, like determining whether water is pure or impure. Rather, a witness testifies to the stipulations he knows, and the judge then rules on those stipulations according to his own juristic judgment. Allah knows best.”

He was asked:

“An endowment was established for a man and then for his children. The farmers divided it among themselves, after which some exchanged their portions for ones adjoining their partners’ portions. Are the division and exchanges thereby annulled?”

He replied:

“The underlying property of an endowment dedicated to a single class of beneficiaries cannot validly be partitioned. Its benefits, however, may validly be apportioned; this is called ‘apportionment of use.’ If such an arrangement is unrestricted, it is not binding, especially if the endowed property changes. A different arrangement for apportioning its use may therefore be adopted.”

He was asked:

“A church in a village has an endowment. The Christian community in that village has died out, and those who remained have embraced Islam. May it be made into a mosque?”

He replied:

“Yes. If none of the protected non-Muslims entitled to that church remain, it may be made into a mosque, especially if it is in the territory of Greater Syria, for that territory was conquered by force.”