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Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(44): “Ruling on the Proposed Amendments of Mutual Insurance for those Engaging in Murabaha with the Orphans` Fund Development Found"

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

 

Resolution No.(44): “Ruling on the Proposed Amendments of Mutual Insurance for those Engaging in Murabaha with the Orphans` Fund Development Foundation“

Date: 15/11/1420 AH corresponding to 10/2/2000 AD.

 

The Board has received the following question:

What is the Sharia ruling on the proposed amendments of mutual insurance for those engaging in Murabaha with the Orphans' Fund Development Foundation?

Answer: All success is attributed to Allah.

The Board is of the view that the above type of insurance is permissible in Sharia for in this type, a number of individuals agree upon paying a certain sum, by each, as a contribution to be saved in a private fund or account, and to be spent in case an accident occurs to any of them. Its permissibility rests on the principle of cooperation, which is acknowledged by Islamic Sharia and its general rules. Allah, The Almighty, Says (What means): “Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah. For Allah is strict in punishment.” {Al-Maidah/2}.

The idea of this insurance exists in the Aqila (male blood relatives of the killer) system, which is based on solidarity and cooperation amongst the relatives of the murderer in unintentional killing when paying the Diya (blood money) of the murdered. In addition, mutual insurance lessens the financial burden on the family members of the deceased participant (mutual insurance), so they aren`t obligated to pay on his behalf, and he is acquitted Before Allah, The Almighty. Also, mutual insurance preserves the funds of the Orphans` Fund Development Foundation and secures its right to collect the debt due on the participants in case of their death.

This resolution {permissibility of mutual insurance} agrees with the theme of the second conference of the Islamic Research Academy , held in Al-Azhar during the month of Moharram,1385AH,  the Council of the Fiqh Academy held in Makkah in 1399AH, and the opinion celebrated by many contemporary scholars. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Iftaa` Board

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izz Al-Deen Al-Tamimi

Dr. Mohamoud Al-Bakheet

Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi

Dr. Yousef Gheezaan

  Dr. Umar Al-Ashkhaar

  Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Khayyat

Sheikh Saeid Hijjawi

Sheikh Na`eim Mojahid

   Sheikh Mahmoud Shwayaat

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What are the legal and religious consequences for a charitable organization in the event that a sacrificial animal is damaged or spoiled after slaughter?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Charitable organizations entrusted with slaughtering sacrificial animals (uḍḥiyyah) and distributing their meat on behalf of their owners are obligated to safeguard the meat from spoilage, damage, theft, and any other harm. This is because such organizations act as agents (wukalā') on behalf of those offering the sacrifice, and an agent holds what is entrusted to them in trust (amānah) — whether they receive a wage for their work or act on a voluntary basis.
If the sacrificial animal is damaged after slaughter during the processes of packaging, transportation, or storage due to negligence or oversight — whether on the part of the organization's own staff overseeing the operation, or on the part of third parties contracted by the organization such as transport or shipping companies — then liability falls upon the negligent party, who is required to compensate for the value of the sacrifice. It is not permissible to cover such compensation from the organization's other donor funds.
However, if the damage to the sacrificial animal occurs without any negligence in its preservation and storage on the part of any party involved in the transportation, shipping, or storage process, and is instead attributable to force majeure circumstances beyond their control, then no financial liability is borne by any party in such a case. And Allah Almighty knows best.

I broke my oath and am now obligated to pay the expiation for a broken oath (kaffārat al-yamīn). Would it be valid to fulfill this by inviting the poor and needy to a meal for them to eat from?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The expiation for a broken oath (kaffārat al-yamīn) is given to the poor (fuqarā') and needy (masākīn), and it must be given in the form of ownership (tamlīk) transferred to them of the required amount — namely, one mudd of the staple food of the locality, or its equivalent monetary value. It isn`t valid to invite the poor or needy to a meal prepared for them to eat from, as this does not constitute "ownership" (tamlīk) but merely "permission to partake" (ibāḥah).
Imam al-Shirbīnī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "What is intended is that ownership be transferred to them; therefore, providing them with lunch or dinner [as a meal to eat from] isn`t valid." [Summarized from Mughnī al-Muhtāj,Vol. 5/P.50]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is it a condition that one should offer two sacrifices for a male newborn?

It is desirable to offer two sheep for a male newborn, and one for a female newborn. Offering one sheep for the male newborn is also permissible as it observes the Prophet`s Sunnah in this regard.

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