Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(76): “Ruling on the Financing System for the Housing of the General Corporation of Social Security Employees on Basis of Islamic Murabaha in Favor of the One Ordering the Purchase“

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

Resolution No.(76) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies: 

 "Ruling on the Financing System for the Housing of the General Corporation of Social Security Employees on Basis of Islamic Murabaha in Favor of the One Ordering the Purchase“

Date: 13/4/1425 AH, corresponding to 2/6/2004 AD.    

 

 

Question:

To how extent do the regulations pertaining to the financing of the housing of the General Corporation of Social Security employees agree with the rules of Islamic Sharia?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

After careful study and deliberation, the Board made the following remarks:

Article (2) defines the one ordering the purchase,  or a  purchaser as: The General Manager/employee. The Board recommends deleting the word (purchaser), whether it comes alone or accompanied by (the one ordering the purchase). It also recommends defining (the one ordering the purchase) as every employee of the General Corporation of Social Security.

Article (9/D) states: “After presenting the irrevocable power of attorney and a letter from the concerned Directorate of Lands Registration indicating that the estate is free of any rights that hinder disposing of it, the Social Security Corporation shall issue a letter of promise to the landlord , whereby it pledges to pay off the agreed upon price.”

 

The Board is of the view that the irrevocable power of attorney doesn`t mean that the authorized has actually possessed the estate, which makes this contract in contradiction with the rules of Sharia which prohibit selling an item that isn`t in the sellers` possession; therefore, the item must get possessed and guaranteed by the one ordered  to purchase it, then transferred, through a valid sale contract, to the possession of the one ordering the purchase. Moreover, in order for this proxy to become tantamount to possessing the estate, it should clearly stipulate that the Social Security Corporation shall guarantee the purchased estate completely. Therefore, the Board is of the view that clause (D) of article (9) should read as follows:

“Issuing a promissory letter by the Social Security Corporation to the landlord whereby it shall guarantee settling the agreed upon price after presenting the irrevocable power of attorney, which must state clearly that the Corporation shall guarantee the purchased estate completely, and a letter from the concerned Lands` Registration Directorate indicating that the estate is free of any rights that hinder disposing of it.”

 

It is permissible for the Corporation to ratify the irrevocable power of attorney enclosed with the regulations pertaining to the financing system of the housing of the Corporation`s employees since it clearly states that the Corporation shall guarantee the purchased estate completely, and in order to become permissible in Sharia once the item, ordered to be purchased {Murabaha}, becomes in the possession and guarantee of the Corporation. This is also because the temporary law pertaining to the immovable property, 26/2003, issued on 16/4/2003 has been included within item (4) of clause (o), article (11): stipulates that an authorized person, or any other party may not initiate any action whatsoever, including  the execution of immovable properties included within the irrevocable power of attorney after its inscription in the trade register of these properties at the concerned lands` registration department.

Article (4/A) states: “Housing financing through Murabaha shall be granted after two years pass over the classification of an employee of the Corporation.”

The Board recommends replacing the word (classification) with the word (recruitment).

Article (8/A&B) include grammatical mistakes that must be corrected. And Allah Knows Best.

 

 

Iftaa` Board

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

Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

Dr. Abdulmajeed Al-Salaheen

Dr. Abdullah Al-Manasrah

Sheikh Sae`id Hijjawi

Sheikh Nae`im Mujahid

Decision Number [ Previous | Next ]


Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on swearing an oath by the Prophet ﷺ, and does such an oath take effect according to Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, requiring expiation upon its breach?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Swearing an oath by a created being is disliked (makrūh) in our Shāfiʿī school. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Swearing by a created being is disliked — such as swearing by the Prophet, the Kaʿbah, Jibrīl, the Companions, or the Prophet's family. Al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: 'I fear that swearing by other than Allah the Almighty may constitute an act of disobedience.' The scholars of the school explained this to mean: that is, something forbidden and sinful — indicating that he had some hesitation in the matter. Al-Imām stated: the established position of the school is that it is categorically not forbidden, but rather disliked. Furthermore, whoever swears by a created being, his oath does not take effect and no expiation (kaffārah) is required if he breaks it." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn wa ʿUmdat al-Muftīn, Vol. 11/P.6]
According to the Ḥanbalī school, however, expiation becomes obligatory upon one who swears by our master the Prophet ﷺ and then breaks his oath. Imām al-Bahūtī al-Ḥanbalī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "No expiation is required for swearing by other than Allah the Almighty, even if the oath is broken — because expiation was made obligatory for swearing by Allah and His attributes, out of reverence for His names, and nothing else is equal to Him in this regard... except in the case of swearing by our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, for expiation becomes obligatory when one swears by him and then breaks the oath. This was explicitly stated in the narration of Abū Ṭālib, because he is one of the two conditions of the two testimonies of faith by which a disbeliever becomes a Muslim. Ibn ʿAqīl held the view that swearing by any of the other prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all, carries the same ruling." [Sharḥ Muntahā al-Irādāt, Vol. 3/P.441]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is Zakah (obligatory charity) due on the Zakah money received by a poor person, and reached a Nissab (minimum amount liable for Zakah), and a whole lunar year had lapsed over having it in his possession?

Yes, the poor who possessed a Nissab for a whole lunar year is obliged to pay the Zakah due on that money even if it was given to him as a Zakah money in the first place. And Allah Knows Best.

What is the ruling on swearing on the Holy Quran and breaking that oath?

It is impermissible to swear on the Holy Quran in vain, and it is also impermissible to subject it to such an act since breaking the oath after swearing on the Quran entails an expiation.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on selling gold or silver in installments or for a differed price?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is prohibited (haram) to sell gold or silver in installments or for a deferred price; rather, immediate hand-to-hand exchange (Taqabud) is mandatory, otherwise, it is considered usury (Riba). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dates for dates, and salt for salt—like for like, hand to hand. Whoever increases or asks for an increase has engaged in Riba; the receiver and the giver are the same in this regard.' (Narrated by Muslim). Furthermore, when exchanging new gold for used gold, they must be of equal weight, or it falls into Riba.
 
The permissible solution (al-makhraj) is for the merchant to purchase the used gold for cash first, and then sell the new gold for cash in a separate transaction. However, the price must be paid during the sitting of the contract (Majlis al-Aqd) for both deals. Alternatively, the jeweler may take the used gold with the intent of remodeling or repairing it, and then charge a fee for the craftsmanship or repair work. And Allah the Exalted knows best."