As for the administrator, he must perform as much of his obligatory work as he can, and receive remuneration corresponding to that work. If the amount due is ten shares of the remuneration payable, he may take it; and if the work he performs entitles him to the full amount, he may take it all. He may also receive, on account of his poverty, what a poor person receives on that account. Allah knows best.”

He was asked about altering the form of an endowment.

He replied:

“Praise be to Allah. Whatever extends beyond the boundaries of the endowment into the Muslims’ roadway or infringes upon neighbours’ rights must undoubtedly be removed. Whatever extends into a public thoroughfare must be removed. If it extends onto someone else’s property, it may remain with the owner’s permission; otherwise, it must be removed.

“As for altering the form of the building without encroaching upon anyone’s rights, the deciding consideration is the interest served. If its present form better serves the endowment and its beneficiaries, it should be retained. If restoring its former form would serve them better, it should be restored. If rebuilding it in a third form would better serve the endowment, it should be built accordingly. Thus, the form of the building should be determined by the interests of the endowment, adapting to those interests wherever they lie.

“It is established that the Rightly Guided Caliphs, such as ʿUmar and ʿUthmān, altered the form of endowments to serve their interests. Indeed, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb went further than this: he relocated the old mosque of Kufa, whose former site became the date-sellers’ market, and built a mosque for the people elsewhere. Allah knows best.”