Rujuk FatwaMalaysian fatwa reference
BM

FatwaPenangEndowment (Waqf) & Religious Property

STATUS LAPAN BUAH STRUKTUR RUMAH DAN LALUAN YANG BERADA DI ATAS TANAH WAKAF PERKUBURAN ISLAM DI LOT 76, MUKIM 16, SEBERANG PERAI UTARA

What is the ruling on houses and access paths built on Islamic cemetery waqf land at Lot 76, Mukim 16, North Seberang Perai?

Short answer

Building residential houses or permanent structures for personal purposes on land endowed specifically as a cemetery is forbidden and invalid under Islamic law.

PenangFatwa committee decision

A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.

Authority
Penang State Mufti Department
Date
Status
Fatwa committee decision
Series
Keputusan Fatwa Negeri Pulau Pinang (e-Fatwa)
Topic
Endowment (Waqf) & Religious Property

No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.

Summary

Building residential houses or permanent structures for personal purposes on land endowed specifically as a cemetery is forbidden and invalid under Islamic law. Occupants or owners must vacate the land when directed by the state religious authority, which is the sole trustee of the waqf. The decision rests on the principle that the endower's conditions must be obeyed like a legal text.

Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.

SEBARANG BENTUK BINAAN RUMAH KEDIAMAN ATAU STRUKTUR KEKAL BAGI TUJUAN PERIBADI DI ATAS TANAH YANG TELAH DIWAKAFKAN KHUSUS UNTUK PERKUBURAN ADALAH HARAM DAN TIDAK SAH DI SISI SYARAK.

Excerpt from the original fatwa · Penang

Read the full fatwa on the Penang website (new tab)

How to cite

Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.

Penang State Mufti Department. “STATUS LAPAN BUAH STRUKTUR RUMAH DAN LALUAN YANG BERADA DI ATAS TANAH WAKAF PERKUBURAN ISLAM DI LOT 76, MUKIM 16, SEBERANG PERAI UTARA”, 3 February 2026. http://efatwa.penang.gov.my/fatwa_details.php?fatwaid=1789. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/houses-on-cemetery-waqf-land-ruling/