There is a right for all the people to benefit from the public utilities, for the purpose for which they are designated. They should not be used except for the purpose for which they are designated. Thus, it is not allowed to use a road for the purpose of a recess (parking for a break), nor parking to trade, nor anything that the road did not exist for. This is because the road exists for the purpose of travelling upon it; unless it were to be used in such a way that does not interfere with travelling; and this marginal use is evaluated as that which does not cause harm or difficulty for passers by. Rivers also should not be used for other than the matter, which they exist for. So if a river exists for irrigation, as would be the case for example with a small river, then it should not be used for navigation (shipping), while if it exists for both matters, like the Nile and Tigris, it may be used for both.

Also no one is allowed to designate for himself anything from the public utilities, like the pastures, Masjid and seas. The Prophet said:

“There is no seclusion (Hima) except for Allah and His Messenger,” narrated by Abu Dawud through Ass’ab ibn Jathama. The origin of seclusion (Hima) to the Arabs was that their chief, when he camped in a fertile place, would let a dog bark at the top of a high place, and wherever the voice of the dog reached on all sides, that area would be protected for him, and no one would be allowed to send his cattle (flock) to graze inside it, while he was still able to graze his flock with other people in other places. So the sanctuary (Hima) is the protected place, and it is different from the allowed (Mubah) place. Thus, Islam prevented people from secluding any of the public things for their own use to the exclusion of the others. Accordingly, the meaning of the Hadith is that no one is allowed to protect (for one’s use) any of those things, which belong to all Muslims, except Allah and His Messenger, for only they have the right to protect any of these things they deem appropriate. The Messenger of Allah acted in accordance with this, so he protected some places. It is narrated from Ibn ’Umar, “that the Prophet protected the (land of) Naqee’a for the horses of the Muslims,” narrated by Abu Ubayd in the book of Al-amwal (properties) i.e. the Prophet protected a place called an-Naqee’a i.e. a land which was thoroughly soaked with water and was therefore fertile, it was 20 farsakh (a measure of length) from Al-Madina. So people were prohibited from inhabiting this dead (uncultivated) land, thus the pastures could grow, and special flocks were allowed to graze whilst others were prohibited.