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.
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.
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/