💯 Miscellaneous benefits from Yemen

BENEFIT 62: RULING ON SAVING A SPOT IN THE MASJID (حَجْز) Sheikh Abū Bilāl ḥafidhahullāh clarified this mas'alah in one of the classes as some of the new students would save a spot in the masjid and leave for long periods, preventing others from utilising that space. He - ḥafidhahullāh - said: THERE ARE THREE OPINIONS: 1⃣st: It is permissible to save a spot in the masjid, regardless of whether the space is saved using an item or by placing someone there on your behalf. This is the view of the Ḥanābilah. It is reported that Ibn Sireen raḥimahullāh would send his servant boy to save a spot in the masjid, then upon arrival he would remove him and sit in the place. 2⃣nd. The second opinion is similar to the first, except that if the space is saved using an item, then it's allowed for someone to move the item and occupy the space. However, if the spot is being occupied by someone, then it's not allowed to remove this person. This is the view of the Shāfi'iyyah. They differentiated between items and humans because items have no sanctity, and they said you cannot move a person based on the ḥadīth: ((لَا يُقِيمَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فِيهِ)) “None of you should move a person from his seat and then occupy his place.” [Reported by Muslim on the authority of Ibn 'Umar] 3⃣rd. It is not permissible to save a spot in the masjid, because you have illegally seized that spot and prevented others from utilising it; and this is a form of oppression [see Sūrah Al-Baqarah 114]. It is also an act of innovation. This is the view of the Mālikiyyah, and the opinion chosen by Sheikhul Islam ibn Taymiyyah, Sheikh Uthaymīn and Sheikh ibn Bāz. CONCLUSION: Sheikh Abū Bilāl ḥafidhahullāh chose this last opinion, but he clarified that if someone already has a spot in the masjid and needs to leave temporarily, then he is allowed to place something there as an indication to others that the space is occupied. He based this on the ḥadīth: ((إِذَا قَامَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنْ مَجْلِسِهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهِ)) “When one of you gets up from his spot, then comes back, he has more right to it.” [Reported by Muslim on the authority of Abū Hurairah radhiyallāhu 'anhu]