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  • Would leasehold lands leased by the government for 99 years be part of the lessee’s estate?
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Would leasehold lands leased by the government for 99 years be part of the lessee’s estate?

fatwa-tt December 6, 2022

Question

What is the ruling regarding leasehold lands leased by the government for 99 years? Would it be part of the lessee’s estate if he were to die?

Answer

بسم الله الرحـمن الرحيم

All assets and properties, tangible or intangible, owned by the deceased till his last breath will constitute his estate. As for the leasehold land, it does not enter the ownership of the lessee rather, it remains the property of the lessor. Consequently, it will not be part of the lessee’s estate upon death.

According to the Hanafi Jurists, the moment the lessee dies the lease agreement is terminated and the right to occupancy and benefit is not transferred to the heirs of the lessee, rather it is returned to its rightful owner (lessor).

However, the Hanafi jurists have stated if the lessor leases the land to the lessee for the purpose of cultivation and stipulates the duration of the lease agreement, thereafter, the duration expires at a time when the crops are not ready for harvest, in such a case the lease contract will be not be terminated, rather it will be extended till the time of cultivation. This is to prevent any harm on the part of the lessee since the lease was contracted for the purpose of cultivation. Furthermore, being fair to the lessor, he will be recompensated with a customary wage by the lessee for the extended time.

Similarly, if the lessee or lessor happens to die duration the period of the lease agreement, (at a time when the crops are not ready for harvest), the contract will not be terminated, rather it will be extended until the crops are ready for harvest. Therefore, if the lessee were to die, the lease contract will be transferred from the lessee to his heirs and who will now derive benefit from the land until the contract is terminated (after harvest).

As for leasehold land, in my opinion, the ma’quud alyhi (the contracted benefit from the lease agreement) is actually the lengthy duration of time (99 years, 150 years, 199 years etc.) i.e., having sole and undisrupted rights to occupancy of the land for the entire duration of time, regardless if the land is occupied or not. That being the case, if the lessee happens to die before the duration of the lease agreement comes to an end, its benefit will be transferred to the heirs according to the laws of Islamic Inheritance, who would continue seeking benefit from it until the duration of the lessee expires.[1]

As for the properties and buildings on the leasehold hand, according to the state law, the leased land as well as the properties that reside therein, all revert back to the lessor, and the rights of any property owners are effectively extinguished. The lessee, nor his heirs will not be compensated or reimbursed for any property built on the land or any development therein. This being the case, the heirs of the lessee will have rights to these properties and would not be the owners of it.

In conclusion, the leasehold lands will not be part of the lessee’s estate as it is not in his ownership, rather it belongs to the lessor. Nevertheless, the benefit or rights to benefit from the leased land together with its buildings and infrastructure will be transferred to the heirs of the lessee until the duration of the lease agreement comes to an end.

It is necessary that the lessee leave behind a valid will stating how this leasehold land and property will be distributed. Failure to do so will result in the law of the land deciding on how it would be distributed.

Nb: If in the lifetime of the lessee, he subleased the leasehold land, then his heirs will have no rights to it. If, however, a portion was subleased, only the benefit (usage/occupancy) of that portion will not be transferred. Also, the heirs upon acquiring the rights to usage and occupancy may sublease their portion.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Kaleem Muhammad

Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom

Marabella, Trinidad.

www.fatwa-tt.com


[1] المبسوط للسرخسي (15/ 153)

فِي مَوْتِ الْأَجِيرِ فَنَقُولُ الْمُسْتَحَقُّ بِالْعَقْدِ الْمَنَافِعُ الَّتِي تَحْدُثُ عَلَى مِلْكِ الْأَجِيرِ وَقَدْ فَاتَ ذَلِكَ بِمَوْتِهِ فَتَبْطُلُ الْإِجَارَةُ لِفَوَاتِ الْمَعْقُودِ عَلَيْهِ وَبَيَانُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَقَبَةَ الدَّارِ تَنْتَقِلُ إلَى الْوَارِثِ وَالْمَنْفَعَةَ تَحْدُثُ عَلَى مِلْكِ صَاحِبِ الرَّقَبَةِ

(أَلَا تَرَى) أَنَّهُ لَوْ بَاعَ الدَّارَ بِرِضَاءِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ بَطَلَتْ الْإِجَارَةُ لِانْتِقَالِ الْمِلْكِ فِيهَا إلَى غَيْرِهِ تَوْضِيحُهُ أَنَّهُ فِيمَا يَحْدُثُ فِيهَا مِنْ الْمَنْفَعَةِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ هُوَ مُضِيفٌ لِلْعَقْدِ إلَى الْغَيْرِ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ وِلَايَةُ إلْزَامِ الْعَقْدِ فِي مِلْكِ الْغَيْرِ وَهَذَا؛ لِأَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ تَتَجَدَّدُ فِي مِلْكِ الْمَعْقُودِ عَلَيْهِ بِحَسَبِ مَا يَحْدُثُ مِنْ الْمَنْفَعَةِ فَإِنْ.

(قِيلَ) فَعَلَى هَذَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تَعْمَلَ الْإِجَارَةُ فِيهَا مِنْ الْمُوَرِّثِ

(قُلْنَا) إنَّمَا لَا تَعْمَلُ إجَارَتُهُ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتَوَقَّفْ عَلَى حَقِّهِ عِنْدَ الْعَقْدِ فَمَا كَانَ يَعْلَمُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْعَقْدَ مُضَافٌ إلَى مَحَلِّ حَقِّهِ وَهَذَا بِخِلَافِ النِّكَاحِ؛ لِأَنَّ مِلْكَ النِّكَاحِ فِي حُكْمِ مِلْكِ الْعَيْنِ فَلَا يَثْبُتُ لِلْوَارِثِ بِمِلْكِ رَقَبَةِ الْأَمَةِ حَقٌّ فِيمَا هُوَ حَقُّ الزَّوْجِ كَمَا لَوْ بَاعَهَا الْمَوْلَى لَا يَبْطُلُ النِّكَاحُ وَالطَّرِيقُ الْآخَرُ فِي مَوْتِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ لَوْ بَقِيَ الْعَقْدُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ إنَّمَا يَبْقَى عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُفَهُ الْوَارِثُ وَالْمَنْفَعَةُ الْمُجَرَّدَةُ لَا تُوَرَّثُ

(أَلَا تَرَى) أَنَّ الْمُسْتَعِيرَ إذَا مَاتَ لَا يَخْلُفُهُ وَارِثُهُ فِي الْمَنْفَعَةِ وَقَدْ بَيَّنَّا أَنَّ الْمُسْتَعِيرَ مَالِكٌ لِلْمَنْفَعَةِ وَفِي حُكْمِ التَّوْرِيثِ لَا فَرْقَ بَيْنَ الْمِلْكِ بِبَدَلٍ وَبِغَيْرِ بَدَلٍ كَالْعَيْنِ؛ وَلِهَذَا لَوْ مَاتَ الْمُوصَى لَهُ بِالْخِدْمَةِ تَبْطُلُ الْوَصِيَّةُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَنْفَعَةَ لَا تُوَرَّثُ وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ لَوْ أَوْصَى بِرَقَبَةِ عَبْدِهِ لِإِنْسَانٍ وَبِخِدْمَتِهِ لِآخَرَ فَرَدَّ الْمُوصَى لَهُ بِالْخِدْمَةِ الْوَصِيَّةَ كَانَتْ الْخِدْمَةُ لِصَاحِبِ الرَّقَبَةِ دُونَ وَرَثَةِ الْمُوصِي لِأَنَّ الْمَنْفَعَةَ الْمُجَرَّدَةَ لَا تُوَرَّثُ وَهَذَا لِأَنَّ الْوِرَاثَةَ خِلَافَةٌ فَلَا يُتَصَوَّرُ ذَلِكَ إلَّا فِيمَا يَبْقَى لِيَكُونَ مِلْكُ الْمُوَرِّثِ فِي الْوَقْتِ الْأَوَّلِ وَيَخْلُفَهُ الْوَارِثُ فِيهِ فِي الْوَقْتِ الثَّانِي وَالْمَنْفَعَةُ الْمَوْجُودَةُ فِي حَيَاةِ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ لَا تَبْقَى وَاَلَّتِي لَا تَحْدُثُ لَا تَبْقَى لِتُوَرَّثَ وَاَلَّتِي تَحْدُثُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ لَمْ تَكُنْ مَمْلُوكَةً لَهُ لِيَخْلُفَهُ الْوَارِثُ فِيهَا فَالْمِلْكُ لَا يَسْبِقُ الْوُجُودَ، وَإِذَا ثَبَتَ انْتِفَاءُ الْإِرْثِ تَعَيَّنَ بُطْلَانُ الْعَقْدِ فِيهِ كَعَقْدِ النِّكَاحِ يَرْتَفِعُ بِمَوْتِ الزَّوْجِ؛ لِأَنَّ وَارِثَهُ لَا يَخْلُفُهُ فِيهِ وَفَصَّلَ الْأَرْضَ الْمَزْرُوعَةَ، وَالسَّفِينَةُ إذَا كَانَتْ فِي لُجَّةِ الْبَحْرِ فَمَاتَ صَاحِبُ السَّفِينَةِ فِي الْقِيَاسِ تَبْطُلُ الْإِجَارَةُ فِيهِمَا وَلَكِنْ فِي الِاسْتِحْسَانِ لَا تَبْطُلُ لِلْحَاجَةِ إلَى دَفْعِ الضَّرَرِ فَإِنَّ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الْحَاجَةِ لَا تُعْتَبَرُ لِإِثْبَاتِ عَقْدِ الْإِجَارَةِ ابْتِدَاءً حَتَّى لَوْ مَضَتْ وَالزَّرْعُ بَقْلٌ بِعَقْدٍ بَيْنَهُمَا عُقِدَتْ الْإِجَارَةُ إلَى وَقْتِ الْإِدْرَاكِ لِدَفْعِ الضَّرَرِ فَلَأَنْ يَجُوزَ إبْقَاءُ الْعَقْدِ لِدَفْعِ هَذَا الضَّرَرِ أَوْلَى وَالْمُسْتَحْسَنُ مِنْ الْقِيَاسِ لَا يُورِدُ نَقْضًا عَلَى الْقِيَاسِ

الجوهرة النيرة على مختصر القدوري (1/ 273)

(قَوْلُهُ: وَإِذَا مَاتَ أَحَدُ الْمُتَعَاقِدَيْنِ وَقَدْ عَقَدَ الْإِجَارَةَ لِنَفْسِهِ انْفَسَخَ الْعَقْدُ) أَمَّا مَوْتُ الْمُسْتَأْجِرِ فَلِأَنَّ الْعَقْدَ اقْتَضَى اسْتِحْقَاقَ الْأُجْرَةِ مِنْ مَالِهِ فَلَوْ بَقَّيْنَا الْإِجَارَةَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ اُسْتُحِقَّتْ الْأُجْرَةُ مِنْ مِلْكِ الْغَيْرِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمُؤَجِّرُ هُوَ الَّذِي مَاتَ فَلَوْ بَقَّيْنَا الْإِجَارَةَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ اُسْتُوْفِيَتْ الْمَنَافِعُ مِنْ مِلْكِ غَيْرِهِ وَهَذَا لَا يَجُوزُ

المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (7/ 439)

 ولو مات الآجر أو المستأجر في وسط المدة وفي الأرض زرع تترك الأرض في يد المستأجر أو ورثته بالأجر المسمى

الفتاوى الهندية (4/ 429)

رجل استأجر أرضا فزرع فيها ثم مات المستأجر قبل انقضاء مدة الإجارة كان على ورثته ما سمي من الأجر إلى أن يدرك الزرع لأن الإجارة كما تنقض بالأعذار تبقى بالأعذار وكذا لو مات المؤاجر وبقي المستأجر تبقى الإجارة إلى أن يدرك الزرع وإذا انقضت مدة الإجارة والزرع بقل في القياس يؤمر المستأجر بقلع الزرع وفي الاستحسان يقال له إن شئت فاقلع الزرع في الحال، وإن شئت فاتركه في الأرض إلى أن يدرك وعليك لصاحب الأرض أجر مثل الأرض كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان

درر الحكام في شرح مجلة الأحكام (1/ 459)

(الْمَادَّةُ 426) مَنْ اسْتَحَقَّ مَنْفَعَةً مُعَيَّنَةً بِعَقْدِ الْإِجَارَةِ لَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَ عَيْنَهَا، أَوْ مِثْلَهَا، أَوْ مَا دُونَهَا وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَ مَا فَوْقَهَا

مَثَلًا: لَوْ اسْتَأْجَرَ الْحَدَّادُ حَانُوتًا عَلَى أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لَهُ فِيهِ أَيْ يَعْمَلَ فِيهِ صَنْعَةً مُسَاوِيَةً فِي الْمَضَرَّةِ لِصَنْعَةِ الْحَدَّادِ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ لِمَنْ اسْتَأْجَرَ حَانُوتًا لِلْعِطَارَةِ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِيهِ صَنْعَةَ الْحَدَّادِ.

يَعْنِي أَنَّ الْمَنْفَعَةَ الْمَشْرُوطَةَ فِي الْعَقْدِ لِمَنْ اسْتَحَقَّهَا أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَهَا (1) بِعَيْنِهَا

(2) بِمِثْلِهَا أَيْ بِمَا يُسَاوِيهَا مَضَرَّةً.

(3) بِمَا دُونَهَا مَضَرَّةً؛ لِأَنَّ التَّعْيِينَ فِي الْعُقُودِ إنَّمَا يَكُونُ مُعْتَبَرًا فِي الصُّورَةِ الَّتِي يَكُونُ فِيهَا فَائِدَةٌ

أَمَّا إذَا لَمْ تَكُنْ فَائِدَةٌ؛ فَلَا يَكُونُ التَّعْيِينُ مُعْتَبَرًا (الشِّبْلِيُّ)

وَعَلَى ذَلِكَ فَالِاسْتِيفَاءُ لَازِمٌ مَعَ الْأَجْرِ الْمُسَمَّى

إلَّا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِلْمُسْتَأْجِرِ أَنْ يَتَجَاوَزَ إلَى مَا فَوْقَ الْمَنْفَعَةِ الْمَذْكُورَةِ أَيْ إلَى أَكْبَرَ مِنْ الْمَنْفَعَةِ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ اسْتِيفَاءُ الْمَنْفَعَةِ الَّتِي يَكُونُ ضَرَرُهَا عَلَى الْمَأْجُورِ أَشَدَّ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمُؤَجِّرَ إذَا رَضِيَ بِشَيْءٍ يَكُونُ رَاضِيًا عَادَةً وَدَلَالَةً بِاسْتِيفَاءِ مَا دُونَهُ، أَوْ مَا يُسَاوِيهِ وَلَكِنْ لَا يَكُونُ رَاضِيًا بِمَا هُوَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْهُ ضَرَرًا

درر الحكام في شرح مجلة الأحكام (1/ 463)

(الْمَادَّةُ 428) كُلُّ مَا لَا يَخْتَلِفُ بِاخْتِلَافِ الْمُسْتَعْمِلِينَ فَالتَّقْيِيدُ فِيهِ لَغْوٌ، مَثَلًا: لَوْ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَحَدٌ دَارًا عَلَى أَنْ يَسْكُنَهَا لَهُ أَنْ يُسَكِّنَ غَيْرَهُ فِيهَا

(رَاجِعْ الْمَادَّةَ 528) يَعْنِي أَنَّهُ لَوْ اسْتَأْجَرَ أَحَدٌ دَارًا بِشَرْطِ أَنْ يَسْكُنَهَا هُوَ؛ فَلَهُ إيجَارُهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهِ وَإِعَارَتُهَا لِاسْتِيفَاءِ الْمَنْفَعَةِ الَّتِي لَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَوْفِيَهَا بِمُوجَبِ الْمَادَّةِ 426؛ لِأَنَّ السُّكْنَى لَمَّا لَمْ تَكُنْ مُتَفَاوِتَةً لَمْ يُعْتَبَرْ ذَلِكَ الْقَيْدُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ غَيْرُ مُفِيدٍ

أَمَّا لَوْ قِيلَ إنَّ السُّكْنَى قَدْ تَكُونُ مَعَ الِاشْتِغَالِ بِصَنْعَةِ الْحِدَادَةِ فَيَكُونُ التَّقْيِيدُ مُفِيدًا وَيُنْظَرُ إلَيْهِ؛ لِأَنَّ فِي مِثْلِ هَذِهِ السُّكْنَى ضَرَرًا

المبسوط للسرخسي (15/ 153)

وَقَاسَ بِالْأَرْضِ الْمُسْتَأْجَرَةِ إذَا زَرْعَهَا الْمُسْتَأْجِرُ ثُمَّ مَاتَ فَإِنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ لَا تَنْتَقِضُ بِالْإِنْفَاقِ بَلْ يَخْلُفُهُ وَارِثُهُ فِي تَرْبِيَةِ الزَّرْعِ فِيهَا إلَى وَقْتِ الْإِدْرَاكِ وَلِأَنَّ هَذَا عَقْدُ مُعَاوَضَةٍ يُقْصَدُ بِهِ اسْتِيفَاءُ الْمَنْفَعَةِ فَلَا يَبْطُلُ بِمَوْتِ الْعَاقِدِ إلَّا أَنْ يَتَضَمَّنَ هَذَا الْمَعْقُودَ عَلَيْهِ

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December 6, 2022
Marabella, Trinidad
Friday, 16th May, 2025
18th Dhu al-Qidah, 1446
SalatTime
Fajr4:29 AM
Sunrise5:44 AM
Zuhr12:02 PM
Asr4:31 PM
Magrib6:20 PM
Isha7:36 PM

ZakatFitrah

The Nisaab in Trinidad and Tobago is $50,730.TTD (gold) or $3,993.TTD (silver)

Calculated on 06 Feb 2025

Current Fitrah:

Sadaqatul Fitr/ Fidyah : $18.00 (ttd)

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