Khums: Can You Reclaim Khums-Funded Property or Donations to Religious Institutions?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Khums: Can You Reclaim Khums-Funded Property or Donations to Religious Institutions?

English:

Question #1033:

A person has spent some religious tithes, an Imam’s (a.) share of khums, and other things — spending of which depends on acquiring permission from one of the mujtahids — for one of the religious institutions, school building, masjid, or a ḥusayniyyah. Now according to shar‘, is he allowed to claim back what he spent as his religious tithes, to claim its piece of land, or even try to sell the building of the institution?

Answer #1033:

If this person used his money for a school, etc. after acquiring permission of the person to whom he was obliged to give his religious tithes and with the intention of paying his obligatory religious tithes, he has no right to demand them back or to use them as their owner.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Khums