النص المفهرس

INTRODUCTION
الحمد لله جاعل العلماء أنجماً للابتداء زابرةً، وأعلاماً للاقتداء ظابرةً، وحجةً
على الحق قاطعةً، ومحجةً إلى الصدق شارعةً، وصدوراً للفضائل جامعةً، وبدوراً
في سماء الشريعة طالعةً، حمداً يدوم دوام جوده الفياض، ويبقى بقاء الجوابر لا
الأعراض.
والصلاة والسلام على صاحب الملة الطابرة، المؤيد من عند الله بالمعجزة
الظابرة، محمد خاتم الرسل وناسخ الملل، والرضوان على آله أئمة الهدى،
وصحبه مصابيح الدجى، والرحمة على من تبعهم بإحسان، وعلى علماء الأمة في
كل زمان ومكان. أما بعد:
By the grace of Allah ta'ala, I have the joyous opportunity of
presenting to you volume five of Fatāwā Dār al-'Ulūm Zakarīyyā. This
volume relates to an important department of Islam, viz. dealings and
transactions.
Every Muslim ought to know that Islam is not confined to acts of
worship. Man cannot assume that by carrying out the different acts of
worship - e.g. salah, fasting, zakah, hajj, etc. - he has fulfilled the duty
of practising on Islam. Allah ta'ala orders us and requires from us to
practise on Din in its entirety. There are several departments of Din,
for example:
1.
Beliefs.
2.
Acts of worship.
3. Social relationships, marriage, etc.
4.
Transactions.
5.
Morals and ethics.
6. Punishments.
If one wants to wear the necklace of a believer and a Muslim, it will be
essential to embrace all these departments into one's life. Just as salah
is fulfilled in the masajid, transactions related to buying and selling,
lending and loaning, etc. are carried out in the business arenas, courts,
offices and so on. When they are done in accordance with the
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injunctions of the Shari'ah, a person acquires the good fortune of both
worlds.
Someone asked Imam Muhammad rahimahullah: "You codified
jurisprudence and wrote books on this subject. Did you not write
anything on the subject of asceticism and Sufism?" He replied: "I wrote
Kitab al-Buyū' on this subject."
Imam Muhammad rahimahullah replied in this manner to show that
the religiosity of a person is ascertained at the time of transactions
and dealings, and how he differentiates between the lawful and
unlawful. When there is money and wealth in front of him, his
abstinence and piety are distinguished from his greed and
insatiability.
Abstinence is not restricted to wearing tattered and old clothes, eating
dry bread and holding a rosary in one's hand. The greatest foundation
of piety is abstaining from what is unlawful and earning lawful
sustenance.
Saintliness cannot be acquired from the garments of
abstinence. If a person possesses nobility of the self,
he will be abstinent.
Hadrat Abū Hurayrah radiyallahu 'anhu narrates the following
statement of Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam:
اتق المحارم تكن أعبد الناس، وارض بما قسم الله لك
تكن أغنى الناس. (رواه الترمذى: ٥٦/٢، ابواب الزيد)
Abstain from unlawful things and you will be listed
among the most ardent worshippers in Allah's sight.
Be happy and content with the sustenance which
Allāh ta'ālā decreed for you, and you will be the
wealthiest of heart.
We conclude that seeking lawful sustenance and abstaining from the
unlawful are indirect forms of worship.
Hadrat 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ūd radiyallahu 'anhu said:
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: طلب كسب الحلال
فريضة بعد الفريضة. (كنزالعمال)
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Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said that
seeking lawful sustenance is the second obligation
after other obligations.
Although this Hadith is weak, the Muslim community accepted it.
Based on its acceptance, it is worthy of evidence and can be furnished
as proof.
We learn from this Hadith that seeking lawful sustenance - whether in
the form of trade or farming, manufacturing or agriculture,
employment or manual labour - encompasses all this. They are
included in Din and are a part of it. Not only are they permissible, they
are obligations. If a person remains idle in his house due to laziness,
without bothering about his own wellbeing nor of his family, then he
will be sinning and be eligible for severe punishment.
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam personally carried out these
works. He tended to goats and sheep on the mountains of Makkah in
exchange for a few qīrāt. He undertook two business trips to Syria. He
engaged in agriculture on the outskirts of Madinah. In fact, every
Prophet used to earn his own living. Therefore, for a believer to seek
lawful sustenance entails fulfilling worldly and Dīnī obligations.
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
التاجر الصدوق الأمين مع النبيين والصديقين والشهداء.
(رواه الترمذى)
An honest and trustworthy businessman will be
raised with the Prophets, the truthful and the
martyrs.
On the other hand, those who cast aside the reins of the Shari'ah and
do business as their desires dictate to them, have no fear of Allah
ta'ala, and do not adhere to the principles of honesty and
trustworthiness, then the following warning of Rasūlullah sallallahu
'alayhi wa sallam applies to them:
إن التجار يبعثون يوم القيمة فجاراً إلا من اتقى وبر وصدق.
(رواه الترمذى)
On the day of Resurrection, the traders will rise as
sinners except the one who was fearful [of Allah],
did good and was honest [he will be saved from
disgrace and humiliation].
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The businessman whose sole aim is to amass profits, who does not
differentiate between the lawful and unlawful, does not adhere to any
order of the Shari'ah as regards business, is fully immersed in buying
and selling - then Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam refers to him
as a fajir (a profligate, a liar, a shameless person).
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: That trader is
extremely unjust who takes false oaths merely to sell his goods. He
blasphemes the pure and blessed name of Allah ta'ala for paltry
worldly gains. Such a trader destroys his worldly and Dīnī life.
No matter what, not doing transactions in line with the principles and
rules of the Shari'ah is synonymous to inviting the wrath and
punishment of Allāh ta'ālā.
While Allah ta'ala made man bounden to the Shari'ah, He accepts
man's weakness. This is why He provides ease and relief in everything;
and removes difficulty, hardship and inconvenience. There are many
texts which bear testimony to this.
مَا يُرِيْدُ اللهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَّلُكِنْ يُّرِيْدُ
لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُوْنَ.
Allah does not want to impose any hardship on you
but wants to purify you, and to complete His favour
upon you so that you may be grateful.1
يُرِيْدُ اللهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيْدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ.
Allāh desires for you ease and does not desire for
you hardship.2
يُرِيْدُ اللهُ أَنْ يُخُفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ، وَخُلِقَ الْإِنْسَانُ ضَعِيْفًا.
Allāh wills to lighten the burden from you. And man
is created weak.3
وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّيْنِ مِنْ حَرَچ.
1 Sūrah al-Mā'idah, 5: 6.
2 Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2: 185.
3 Sūrah an-Nisa', 4: 28.
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He has laid no hardship on you in religion.1
Rasūlullāh sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
يسروا ولا تعسروا بشروا ولا تنفروا. (رواه البخارى)
Make things easy, do not make them difficult. Give
glad tidings, do not cause people to distance
themselves from you.
وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام: إنما بعثتم ميسرين ولم تبعثوا
معسرين. (رواه أبو داود، والترمذى، وقال: بذا حديث
حسن صحيح، وأحمد)
You have been sent to make things easy. You haven't
been sent to make them difficult.
وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إنما بعثت بالحنيفية
السمحة السهلة. (رواه الطبرانى بسند فيه ضعف)
I have been sent with the pure, forbearing and easy
religion.
The great Hadith expert, Sufyan Thaurī rahimahullah said:
إنما العلم عندنا الرخصة من ثقة، أما التشديد فيحسن كل
أحد. (ادب المفتى والمستفتى، ورواه ابن عبد البر فى جامع
بيان العم وفضله، والمجموع شرح المهذب)
I consider true knowledge to be leniency from a
reliable scholar. As for strictness, anyone and
everyone can adopt it.
Abul Fadl ibn Tāhir relates from 'Umar ibn Is-haq, a Tābi'ī, who said:
1 Sūrah al-Hajj, 22: 78.
23

كان من أدركت من أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم
أكثر من مائتين، لم أر قوماً أبون سيرة، ولا أقل تشديداً
منهم- (رواه البيهقي في شعب الإيمان)
I met more than two hundred Companions of
Muhammad sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. I did not
come across anyone more easy-going than them, nor
less stringent than them.
وبكذا كان علماء السلف: إذا شددوا فعلى أنفسهم، أما على
الناس فییسرون ويخففون.
This is how the 'ulama' of the past were: They were
strict against their own selves, but provided ease
and leniency to the people.
'Umar ibn 'Uthman Makkī says with reference to Imam Muzanī
rahimahullāh:
كان أشد الناس تضييقاً على نفسه فى الورع، وأوسعه في
ذلك على الناس. (سير اعلام النبلاء، وطبقات الشافعية
الكبرى للسبكى)
He was extremely harsh on himself in abstinence,
but the most lenient in that regard with people.
وكذا وصفوا محمد بن سيرين: قال تلميذه عون: كان محمد
أرجى الناس لهذه الأمة، وأشديم إزراء على نفسه. (رواه
البيهقي في شعب الإيمان)
'Aun who was a student of Muhammad ibn Sīrīn said
with reference to his teacher: Muhammad gave the
most hope to people, but he was the harshest to his
own self.
Imam Abul Hasan Karkhi rahimahullah says with reference to
adopting a lenient attitude in dealings and transactions:
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الأصل : أن أمور المسلمين محمولة على السداد والصلاح
حتی یظهر غيره.
The fundamental is that matters of the Muslims
should be based on appropriateness and the
common good unless something else becomes
apparent.
الأصل: أن المتعاقدين إذا صرحا بجهة الصحة صح العقد
وإذا صرحا بجهة الفساد فسد وإذا أبهما صرف إلى الصحة.
When both parties to a contract explicitly incline
towards correctness, the agreement will be valid. If
both clearly incline to corruptness, it will be invalid.
If both speak in vague terms, it will be considered to
be valid.
الاحتياط في حقوق الله تعالى، لا في حقوق العباد. (رسالة
أصول الكرخى)
Preventative measures have to be given preference
in the rights of Allah ta'ala, but this does not apply in
the rights of humans.
Based on the above texts, the jurists have divided the rulings of the
Sharī ah into two categories.
(1) Rulings which never change - neither because of time and
place, ijtihad, nor societal norms and habits. These include
obligatory duties, textual prohibitions, penal punishments
stipulated by the Shari'ah for committing certain crimes.
(2) Rulings which change due to time and place, the demands of
prudence and conditions.
The first category is mostly related to acts of worship because the
angle of caution is applied more to acts of worship. There is a well-
known principle laid down by the jurists:
الصلاة إذا دارت بين الصحة والفساد تعاد احتياطا.
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If there is a doubt between the validity and
invalidity of a salah, it will be repeated as a
precaution.
The second category is by and large related to dealings and
transactions. The jurists are more embracing, lenient and easy-going
in these rulings.
In his Sharh 'Uqūd Rasm al-Muftī, 'Allāmah Shāmī rahimahullah writes
under the ruling of qafiz at-tahhan that specification of Shari ah
proofs is permissible if it is because of societal norms. In other words,
qiyas can be left aside. This is why the scholars permit commission
agents.
Imām Abū Yusuf rahimahullah says that when a text is based on a
societal norm, and the latter changes, the fatwa will be issued
according to the [new] societal norm. For example, wheat used to be
measured by volume on the basis of text, but in our times it is
weighed. This is why the fatwa is issued on the latter.1
A sale with a precondition is impermissible, but a widely-accepted
precondition is permissible. Ignorance and hazard invalidate a
transaction, but a minor ignorance and a minor hazard which do not
lead to a dispute are permitted according to the jurists.2
The purchase and sale of rights was impermissible by early jurists, but
the latter day jurists permit it.3
According to latter day jurists, qiyas may be left out because of a
general societal norm. The zahir ar-riwayah may also be left out
because of general or specific societal norms.4
An expedient (hilah) which gives one freedom from the unlawful is not
only permissible but commendable:
كل ما يتخلص به عن الحرام ويتوسل به إلى الحلال من
الحيل فهو حسن. (الفتاوى الهندية: ٣٩٣/٤)
1 Radd al-Muhtār, Fath al-Qadīr, Hashiyah Sharh al-Qawā id al-Fiqhīyyah of Shaykh
Mustafa Zarqā'
2 'Alī Ahmad Nadwī, Jamharah al-Qawa'id al-Fiqhīyyah.
3 Shurüh al-Majallah.
4 Al-'Urf Wa al-'Ādah Fī Ra'y al-Fuqahā', Sharh 'Uqūd Rasm al-Muftī.
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Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam himself opted for the easier way
in transactions. This is gauged from the stratagem which he showed
with regard to the sale of dates. This is known to those who teach and
study Hadīth.
Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullah - due to his piety and abstinence -
was extremely cautious in matters related to acts of worship. But when
it came to dealings and transactions, he used to be extremely lenient
on the masses. This can be gauged from a study of the chapters on
buyū' and ijārāt in the books of jurisprudence.
A few examples are presented below:
If the tenant of a house or business commits an unlawful action, the
rental income is not unlawful. Where the action of a person is an
obstacle, extreme caution was resorted to in labelling it unlawful.
If a person's wealth is mixed with lawful and unlawful income, and the
former is more, then it is permissible to accept a wage from him,
accept his gift, and also accept his invitation to a meal.
If there is anything from which lawful benefit can be derived, then its
sale and purchase are not unlawful.
The same stance has been adopted by our seniors. That is, they were
extremely cautious in matters related to worship, while they were
embracing and lenient in matters related to transactions for the
benefit of the masses. This point is well-known to those who studied
the books, Hadith commentaries and legal verdicts of our seniors.
A few examples are presented below:
An article titled Mu'āmalat Se Muta'alliq Fatwei Mei Tawassu' with
reference to Hadrat Thanwī rahimahullah was published in the
monthly al-Furqan. The following is quoted from this article:
Hadrat Hakīmul Ummat Thanwī rahimahullah spoke
about the importance of lawful sustenance in a lecture
titled Ādāb al-Musab. In it, Hadrat rahimahullah said:
"In which there is certainly a lot of leniency and ease
for the Muslim community." He said:
In this regard, it is my opinion that if in mu'āmalat
(dealings and transactions), there is constraint in
one's own madh-hab, while there is leeway in the
opinions of other Imams, then the masses should not
be put into constraint. Instead, the fatwa should be
issued on the opinion of the other Imams ... I have
obtained an explicit support for this view from Hadrat
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Maulānā Gangohī rahimahullāh. (Ādāb al-Musāb, from
the series at-Tabligh, p. 139).
Nowadays we observe preference to strictness in the
temperament of many of the muftis of our time. The
teachings, guidance and Dīnī temperament of
Rasūlullāh
sallallahu 'alayhi wa
sallam
are
undoubtedly what is gauged from the above statement
of Hadrat Hakimul Ummat rahimahullah.1
Hadrat Shah Sahib rahimahullah said that ignorance which does not
lead to dispute could be tolerated on the basis of religious integrity. He
expressed his inclination to the permissibility of hibah al-musha'.
As for the types of gharar and its difference on the basis of judicial
decree and religious integrity is clearly stated in Fayd al-Bārī.
The great Hadith expert, Hadrat 'Allamah Yusuf Bannūrī rahimahullah
stated that a sale before taking possession of an item is permissible. He
based his verdict on another madh-hab. (Bayyināt)
Hadrat Hakīmul Ummat rahimahullah issued a fatwa on bay' as-salam
on the madh-hab of Imam Shafi'ī rahimahullāh.2
While issuing a fatwa on bay' as-salam on the madh-hab of Imam Shafi'ī
rahimahullah, the ex-grand muftī of Pakistan, Hadrat Muftī Walī Hasan
Sāhib rahimahullāh writes:
In the light of current challenges, the jurists say that if in these
matters, the fatwa is issued on the view of Imam Shafi'ī rahimahullāh,
then there is room for it so that the wealth of people could be saved
against unlawfulness.
Note: There are two systems in this world - one is 'ibādāt (acts of
worship) and the other is mu'amalat (dealings and transactions).
Explicit texts are required for 'ibādāt. As for mu'āmalat, every Imam can
provide ease.3
1 Hadrat Maulānā Muhammad Zakarīyyā Nadwī in al-Furqān (Lucknow), p. 33,
October 1981.
2 Imdād al-Fatāwā, vol. 3, p. 21, 106.
3 Dars al-Hidāyah, p. 329, Shurūt as-Salam, Maktabah Igra'.
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Hadrat Hakimul Ummat rahimahullah issued a verdict of
permissibility for shirkat al-'urūd (partnership with merchandise) in
line with the madh-hab of Imam Malik rahimahullah.1
In another place, Hadrat Hakimul Ummat rahimahullah issued a
verdict which is contrary to Hanafi principles:
Answer:
كتب إلى بعض الأصحاب من فتاوى ابن تيمية كتاب الاختيارات ما نصه:
ولو دفع دابته أو نخله إلى من يقوم له ولم جزء من نمائه صح وبورواية عن
أحمد.
This is impermissible according to Hanafi principles, as quoted in the
question from [Fatāwa] 'Ālamgīrīyyah. However, based on the views of
some Hambalī scholars, there is room for its permissibility. Abstention
will be the more cautious response, but where there is severe
tribulation, leeway could be given.2
In 'Itr Hidayah, Hadrat 'Allamah Fath Muhammad Sahib Lucknowī
rahimahullah issued the verdict that a rental lease of more than one
hundred years will not be invalidated by the death of one of the
signatories to the lease.3
There are thousands of rulings of our jurists and seniors where they
issued verdicts on the basis of another madh-hab or against zahir ar-
riwayah because of societal norms and habits.
Our Dar al-Ifta' belongs to the same golden chain. Our Hadrat Muftī
Rada' al-Haqq Sahib - may Allah ta'ala protect him - is affiliated to the
same seniors. He is the Shaykh al-Hadith of this Madrasah and its Chief
Muftī concurrently. He had been a muftī at Jāmi'ah al-'Ulūm al-
Islāmīyyah, Binnaurī Town (Karachi) for quite some time. He is of a
balanced temperament, is fully aware of the people of his time,
chooses the lenient and easy way for the general public, holds views
which are most in line with Hadith, does his best to save people from
haram and to bring them close to the Shari'ah. He does not hold on
1 Imdād al-Fatāwā, p. 495; Imdād al-Ahkām.
2 Imdād al-Fatāwā, vol. 3, p. 343, Kitāb al-Ijārah.
3 Halāl Wa Harām Ke Ahkām (known as 'Itr Hidāyah), p. 423; Takmilah 'Umdah ar-
Ri'āyah Hāshiyah Sharh Wiqāyah, vol. 3, p. 311, Bāb Faskh al-Ijārah, footnote
number four.
29

dogmatically to books. He abstains from disregarding societal norms
and common sense. The reader will clearly observe these qualities in
this volume which is devoted to dealings and transactions.
In many places, we quoted the views of both sides so that the path may
remain open to those who want to practise on the side of caution, and
the circle of permissibility may remain wide for those who want to
save themselves from harām.
At the same time, we request the scholars and elite to hold on firmly to
the reins of caution and non-indulgence as far as possible. They must
leave permissibility and concessions for the general public.
In short, do not misconstrue the views in this book to be
contradictory. Rather, you may benefit from it by looking at the
greater objective.
وكم من عائب قولا صحيحا - وآفته من الفهم السقيم.
فالمسئول من كل واحد من إخواني والأعزة البررة أن ينظروا فيه بعين الرضاء
دون التعصب والمراء، وإن وجدوا فيها سقما عالجوا بالدواء كالرحماء من
الأطباء، ولله در من قال:
وإن تجد عيبا تسد خللا - فجل من لا عيب فيه وعلا
إذا رأيت أثيما كن ساترا وحليما - يا من يقبح أمري لم لا تمر كريما
No matter what, man is bound to forget and no one can make claims to
innocence. I therefore request the reader that when he comes across
any mistakes, he must attribute them to this servant and do me the
favour of informing me. I will be immensely grateful.
In addition to the paucity of my resources, I am lacking in knowledge
and practice. It was because of their noble thoughts that my seniors
shouldered me with this mammoth task. Whatever little was achieved
was done solely through Hadrat's affection and kindness. I could never
have done it on my own.
It will be highly ungrateful of me if I do not make mention of my
honourable teacher, the principal of the Madrasah - Hadrat Maulānā
Shabbir Ahmad Sahib Sālūjī - and Hafiz Bashir Ahmad Sahib, the
administrator of the Madrasah. Their constant affections and acts of
kindness on me is like a cool breeze on a blistering day. May Allah
30

ta'ala reward them with the best of rewards, and may He honour their
services with acceptance. Āmīn.
May Allah ta'ālā increase the knowledge and practice of the post-
graduate students who assisted me in the editing of this book. May He
accept them for the service of His Din for a long time and in far away
places. Āmīn. O Allah! Inspire us to do what You love and what You are
pleased with.
وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العلمين.
وصلى الله تعالى على خير خلقه محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين.
Muhammad Ilyās ibn Afdal Shaykh
Assistant, Dār al-Iftā', Dār al-'Ulūm Zakarīyyā, South Africa
13 Dhū al-Hijjah 1432 A.H./9 November 2011
31

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF DAR AL-'ULŪM
ZAKARĪYYĀ
Hadrat Shaykh al-Hadīth Maulānā Muhammad Zakarīyyā Sahib
rahimahullah visited South Africa in 1981 and supplicated in
favour of a Dar al-'Ulum. His supplication was accepted and
the foundation was laid for Dar al-'Ulūm Zakarīyya which is
named after him.
A
The Madrasah was formally opened in December 1983 under
the leadership of Hadrat Qarī 'Abd al-Hamīd Sahib, Maulānā
Shabbir Ahmad Sahib and their associates. Qarī 'Abd al-Hamid
Sahib was the principal until 1985.
>
After Qārī 'Abd al-Hamīd Sahib departed for India, Maulānā
Shabbīr Ahmad Sālūjī Sahib was appointed as the principal and
Hafiz Bashir Sahib the administrator. They are continuing with
their services to this day. It is through their attention and
forceful efforts that Dar al-'Ulum is on the path of progress.
May Allah ta'ala reward them with the best of rewards.
Departments at Dār al-'Ulūm Zakarīyyā
1.
Tahfīz al-Qur'ān.
2. Dars Nizāmī.
3. Ifta' wa Istifta'. It has been active since 1987 under the
supervision of Hadrat Muftī Rada' al-Haqq Sahib. In the
beginning, Hadrat Muftī Sahib used to write the fatāwa
personally. A formal Dar al-Ifta' was then established in 1992.
4.
Qira'at Wa Tajwid. This was initiated in 1988.
5.
An-Nadī al-'Arabi. The enthusiasm and eagerness of the
students increased towards Arabic literature, so they began
taking part in the written and spoken aspects of the language.
6. Dār al-'Ulūm Zakarīyya has a branch for hifz students. This
was established by the administrators about ten kilometres
from the Madrasah in the year 2000. It was the wish of the
mother of Janab 'Abd ar-Rahman Miya Sahib to have such a
madrasah established. It houses about one hundred students,
five teachers and five classrooms.
32

May Allah ta'ālā reward all the teachers, administrators and members
of the Madrasah. May He shower this Madrasah and other academic
institutions with progress, protect them against every tribulation, and
shower them with His special mercy. Āmīn.
The blessed visits of seniors, imams and other guests enabled this
Madrasah to become a lush and verdant valley. Some of the guests who
visited are:
Hadrat Muftī Mahmud Hasan Gangohī, Hadrat Maulānā Qārī Siddīq
Ahmad Bandwī, Hadrat Muftī Ahmad ar-Rahman, Hadrat Muftī Walī
Hasan, Dr. 'Abd ar-Razzaq, Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Yusuf
Ludhyānwī, Hadrat Hajī Fārūq, Hadrat Maulānā 'Umar Palanpūrī,
Hadrat Qādī Mujahid al-Islam, Bhai Pādia Sahib, Hadrat Maulānā
'Umarjī, Hadrat Maulānā 'Abd al-Hafiz Makkī, Hadrat Muftī Ahmad
Khānpūrī, Hadrat Maulānā Muhammad Sarfaraz Khan Safdar, Hadrat
Maulānā 'Abdullah Kāpaudrawī, Hadrat Maulānā Idrīs Mīrathī, Shaykh
"Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahman Sudays, Shaykh
Shuraym, Shaykh Salih ibn Humayd, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahman
Hudhayfi, Shaykh Subayyil, Shaykh Salah Budayr, Shaykh Muhammad
'Alī Sābūnī, Hadrat Muftī Taqī 'Uthmanī, Hadrat Muftī Muhammad
Rafi' 'Uthmanī, Hadrat Muftī 'Azīz ar-Rahman, Hadrat Maulana Arshad
Madanī, Hadrat Maulānā Marghūb ar-Rahman, Dr. ‘Abdullah 'Umar
Nasīf, Hadrat Maulānā Sayyid Rābi' Nadwī, Hadrat Maulānā Salīmullah
Khan, Hadrat Maulānā Salman Nadwī, Hadrat Hakim Akhtar, Hadrat
Muftī Sa'īd Ahmad Palanpūrī, Hadrat Muftī Faruq Mīrathī, Hadrat
Maulānā Yūnus Pūnā, Hadrat Maulānā Ibrāhīm Dewlā, Shaykh al-
Hadīth Maulānā Yunus, Hadrat Maulana Badī az-Zaman, Hadrat
Maulānā Sālim, Hadrat Maulānā Anzar Shah Kashmīrī, Hadrat Bhai
Talhah ibn Hadrat Shaykh al-Hadīth, Hadrat Maulānā Rahmatullah
Kashmīrī, Hadrat Maulānā Abul Qāsim Benārasī, Shaykh Muhammad
'Awamah, and his son, Shaykh Dr. Muhīyy ad-Dīn. May Allāh ta'ālā
shower His mercy on those who passed on, and may He protect those
who are still living.
Muhammad Ilyās ibn Afdal Shaykh
Assistant, Dār al-Iftā', Dār al-'Ulūm Zakarīyyā, South Africa
16 Sha ban 1433 A.H./6 July 2012
33

TRADE AND COMMERCE
PERMISSIBLE AND IMPERMISSIBLE TRANSACTIONS
Demanding more than the agreed price
Question
A person had a telephonic discussion with regard to purchasing a
vehicle. He undertook a long journey to take possession of the vehicle.
When he reached, the seller asked for R10 000.00 more than the agreed
price. What is the ruling? Is it permissible for the seller to do this?
What is the ruling with regard to the transaction seeing that the
consent of the buyer is absent?
Answer
Once the transaction was completed, the buyer became the owner of
the vehicle. The seller can only collect the amount which was agreed
upon. It is not permissible for him to demand more. Yes, if the buyer
happily pays the extra amount, then it is fine. There has to be mutual
consent from both parties.
‘Allāmah Ibn Nujaym Misrī rahimahullāh (926-970 A.H.) writes:
إذا كان الإيجاب من المشتري فقبل البائع بأنقص من الثمن أو كان من البائع
فقبل المشتري بأزيد انعقد، فإن قبل البائع الزيادة فى المجلس جازت كما فى
التاتارخانية. وأما شرائط اللزوم بعد الانعقاد والنفاذ فخلوه من الخيارات
الأربعة المشهورة ويزاد خيار الكمية وخيار الغبن إذا كان فيه غرور. (البحر
الرائق: ٢٥٨/٥، ٢٦١، كتاب البيوع، كوئته)
الهداية:
وإذا حصل الإيجاب والقبول لزم البيع ولا خيار لواحد منهما إلا من عيب أو
عدم رؤية. (الهداية: ٢٠/٣)
If the transaction was not completed and both parties were still
deciding, and then the seller asks for a higher price, the buyer has the
choice to either purchase the item or not purchase it. This is because
there has to be consent, and here the buyer is not in agreement.
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Allāh ta'ālā says:
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوْا لَا تَأْكُلُوْآْ أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلاَّ أَنْ
تَكُوْنَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضِ مِّنْكُمْ.
O believers! Do not devour the wealth of each other
among yourselves wrongfully unless it be a
transaction by mutual consent.1
(البيع) بو مبادلة المال بالمال بالتراضي ويلزم بإيجاب وقبول. (كنز الدقائق:
٢٢٧، امداديه)
It is against the teachings of Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam to
deceive someone. It is necessary to abstain from deception. Rasūlullah
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The one who deceives is not of us."
عن أبي بريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مر على صبرة
من طعام فأدخل يده فيها، فنالت أصابعه بللاً، فقال: يا صاحب الطعام
ماهذا؟ قال: أصابته السماء يا رسول الله. قال: أفلا جعلته فوق الطعام حتى
يراه الناس، ثم قال: "من غش فليس منا." قال المحشي: أى ليس من أخلاقنا
ولا على سنتنا، قال أبو عيسى: والعمل على بذا عند أبل العلم وقالوا: الغش
حرام. (ترمذى شريف مع الحاشية: ٢٤٥/١، باب ما جاء فى كرابية الغش فى
البيوع)
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
When a seller attaches conditions to a transaction
Question
Is it permissible for a seller to attach the following conditions:
1. No claims will be accepted once the fabric is cut.
2. Returns will only be accommodated when an invoice number
is provided.
" Sūrah an-Nisa', 4: 29.
35

3. The right to return a fabric will be valid for up to seven days.
4. The goods belong to the seller until they are paid for in full.
Answer
1. The first condition is valid. It means that once the fabric is cut, the
seller is not accountable for any defects. It is correct and permissible
to lay down the condition of freedom from defects.
الهداية:
ومن باع عبداً وشرط البراءة من كل عيب فليس له أن يرده بعيب وإن لم
يسم العيوب بعددپا. (الهداية، كتاب البيوع، باب خيار العيب، ٤٨/٣، وكذا فى
المبسوط للامام السرخسي: ٩١/١٢)
شرح المجلة:
إذا باع مالم بشرط براءة ذمته من دعوى كل عيب فلا يكون للمشتري
خيار عيب. (شرح المجلة لمحمد خالد الاتاسى، البيوع، الفصل السادس فى
خيار العيب، ٣٠٥/٢، رشيدية)
2. Nowadays, every item can be allocated a number and saved on a
computer. This is known as a barcode. When a person buys an item, he
is given a bill or invoice with the barcode number of the item. It is
necessary for him to keep it safely because it is required when
returning the item. This system is common in society and is done for
the sake of ease. It is correct and permissible to do this. There is no
reason for it to be impermissible.
العادة المطردة بل تنزل منزلة الشرط قال في إجارة الظهيرية: والمعروف عرفاً
كالمشروط شرطاً. انتهى. (الأشباه والنظائر: القاعدة السادسة، العادة محكمة،
٢٧٨/١)
3. The third condition is exactly like the first. The seller will absolve
himself from every type of defect after seven days. This is correct and
permissible.
4. Once the transaction is complete, the buyer becomes the owner of
the item. The seller's condition of ownership is not correct with
36

respect to a sale which is to be paid in instalments. It can be applied to
an immediate transaction. That is, as long as the buyer does not pay
the full amount, the item will remain in the possession of the seller.
لو باع بشرط أن يحبس المبيع إلى أن يقبض الثمن فهذا الشرط لا يضر بالبيع
بل بوبيان لمقتضى البيع، فإن للبائع حبس المبيع إلى أن يقبض الثمن ولو لم
يشترط ذلك فى العقد. (شرح المجلة للأتاسى، البيوع، الباب الاول فى بيان
المسائل المتعلقة بعقد البيع، الفصل الرابع فى حق البيع بشرط: ٦١/٢، رشيدية)
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
When a condition of "free-service" is attached to a transaction
Question
Many companies claim to provide a free-service. However, when there
is a need for a service, they charge a full fee for it. What is the ruling?
Is it permissible to attach a condition of free-service?
Answer
We gauge from the texts of our seniors that laying down a condition of
free-service is similar to a person buying leather from a shopkeeper on
the condition that the seller will make a pair of shoes out of it. The
jurists concur that such a condition is permissible. Therefore, we
ought to apply this rule. Yes, if the buyer breaks a part of the machine,
the seller or company cannot be held responsible.
وحاصل ما ذكره الفقهاء فى البيع مع الشرط أن الشرط الذي يقترن به البيع
إما أن يقتضيه العقد، وإما أن لا يقتضيه العقد لكن يلايم، وإما أن لا
يقتضيه العقد ولا يلايم لكن قد جرى العرف باشتراط، وإما أن لا
يقتضيه العقد ولا يلايم ولا جرى العرف باشتراطه، لكن لا منفعة فيه
الأحد، فالبيع في بذه الوجوه الأربعة صحيح والشرط معتبر فى الوجوه الثلاثة
الأولى منها، ويلغو فى الوجه الرابع. (شرح المجلة لمحمد خالد الاتاسى، ٥٩/٢،
الفصل الرابع فى حق البيع بشرط)
Muftī Taqī 'Uthmānī Sāhib writes:
37

وخلاصة مذهب الحنفية في ذلك أنه إن كان شرطاً يقتضيه العقد، أو يلائم
العقد أو شرطاً جرى به التعامل بين الناس، فهو جائز ولا يفسد به البيع ...
ومثال الشرط الذي جرى به التعامل ما إذا اشترى نعلاً على أن يحذوه البائع
أو جراباً على أن يخرزه لم خفاً، قال السرخسي فى المبسوط: وإن كان شرطاً لا
يقتضيه العقد، وفيه عرف ظابر فذلك جائز أيضاً، كما لو اشترى نعلاً
وشراكاً بشرط أن يحذوه البائع، لأن الثابت بالعرف ثابت بدليل شرعي، ولأن
فى النزع عن العادة الظابرة حرجاً بيناً، وقال الكاساني: فى البدائع: ١٧٢/٥.
والقياس أن لا يجوز وبو قول زفر، وجه القياس أن بذا شرط لا يقتضيه
العقد وفيه منفعة لأحد العاقدين، وإن مفسد ... ولنا أن الناس تعاملوا بذا
الشرط فى البيع، كما تعاملوا الاستصناع فسقط القياس بتعامل الناس، كما
سقط فى الاستصناع. (تكملة فتح الملهم: ٦٢٩/١، مسئلة الشرط فى البيع)
الهداية:
ومن اشترى نعلاً على أن يحذوه البائع أو يشركه فالبيع فاسد. وفى الاستحسان
يجوز للتعامل فيه. (الهداية: ٦١/٣)
Jadīd Fiqhī Masā'il:
To increase sales and to encourage customers to buy, businesses give
warranties and guarantees up to a certain period for their products.
This is an important issue because the Shari'ah does not permit any
additional conditions to a transaction. This is why the jurists consider
transactions of this nature to be invalid. This would mean that
guarantees of this nature will render the transaction impermissible.
However, the jurists are of the view that the objective behind the
Sharī ah's prohibition is to close the door to disputes. As for conditions
which become common and in vogue, they do not cause disputes.
Therefore, conditions of this nature have been permitted and made
worthy of consideration.
The author of al-Hidayah makes an exclusion to conditions of this
nature:
38