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

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible to offer an Udhiyah on behalf of the deceased?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial animal) on behalf of a deceased person is permissible. This is the official position of the Hanbali school (as stated in Kashshaf al-Qina’ by al-Bahuti,Vol.6/P.428) and was also upheld by the prominent Shafi'i scholar Al-’Abbadi (mentioned in Bidayat al-Muhtaj by Ibn Qadi Shuhbah,Vol. 4/P.358). It has likewise been narrated as a valid view among some Maliki and Hanafi scholars.
 
In fact, Imam Abu Dawud dedicated an entire chapter in his Sunan collection entitled, "Chapter on Sacrificing on Behalf of the Deceased." In it, he recorded a narration from Hanash, who said: "I saw 'Ali sacrificing two rams, so I asked him, 'What is this?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to offer a sacrifice on his behalf, so I am sacrificing on his behalf.'"
 
Imam Abu Dawud also narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, this is from You, for You, and on behalf of Muhammad and his Ummah (community). In the Name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest," and he then slaughtered the animal.
 
The textual evidence here lies in the fact that our Master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), offered a sacrifice on behalf of his entire community—and it is well-established that his community includes those who have already passed away.
 
Furthermore, there is an abundance of sacred texts demonstrating that the rewards of righteous deeds reach the deceased. For instance, it is permissible to fast on behalf of a deceased person who passed away with missed obligatory fasts, and it is equally permissible to perform Hajj on their behalf, both of which are firmly established in authentic Hadiths. Therefore, if the reward of fasting (which is a purely physical act of worship) and Hajj (which is a joint physical and financial act of worship) can reach the deceased, then the reward of an Udhiyah reaches them with greater reason (by way of A Fortiori argument). This is because it is a purely financial act of worship, falling under the general category of charity (Sadaqah).
 
Additionally, scholars have reached a consensus (Ijma') that the rewards of charity reach the deceased, and since the Udhiyah is inherently an act of charity, it falls under the same ruling. Consequently, based on all the aforementioned evidence, we hold the view that offering a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased is entirely permissible. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

How does the person praying  perform the prostration (Sujud)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is an act of Sunnah for the person praying to descend for prostration (Sujud) by placing their knees first, then placing their hands on the ground, and then placing their nose and forehead simultaneously. It is obligatory that the toes of the feet be on the ground, directed towards the Qibla. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Is it permissible for someone who is unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, due to his own poverty?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is not permissible, nor does it fulfill the obligation, for a sick person who is currently and permanently unable to fast to pay the fidyah (ransom/compensation payment) to himself, since it is a financial obligation owed by him, established as a standing debt upon him — much like any other debt he owes. If he were to pay it to himself, it would not thereby be discharged. So if he cannot find [anyone eligible to] pay it to, it remains a standing obligation upon him, and is not thereby waived. If Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, later grants him wealth, it becomes obligatory upon him to pay it out to the poor and needy.
Imam al-Khaṭīb ash-Shirbīnī (raḥimahullāh) said: "There is no difference in the obligation of the fidyah between the wealthy and the poor person; its benefit lies in its remaining established as a standing debt upon the poor person [until he is able to pay it] — and this is the more correct position (al-aṣaḥḥ), as indicated by the wording of ar-Rawḍah and its source text." [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.174]
Accordingly: it is not permissible for a Muslim to pay the fidyah to himself while he remains poor. If the sick person is poor, he is not obligated to pay the fidyah immediately, and it remains a standing debt upon him until a time when he has sufficient means and wealth. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the waiting period ('Iddah) for a woman whose husband has passed away, and what is the ruling on her wearing gold?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The waiting period ('Iddah) for a woman whose husband has passed away is four months and ten days for one who is not pregnant. As for a pregnant woman, her waiting period lasts until she gives birth. It is obligatory for her to remain in the marital home, only leaving for a necessity. During this time, it is prohibited (Haram) to display any form of adornment on the body or clothing; this includes wearing kohl, gold, all types of perfume, and dyeing the hair. Likewise, it is prohibited to receive a direct marriage proposal or to marry during this period.
 
It was narrated by Umm 'Atiyyah that the Prophet ﷺ said: 'We were forbidden to mourn for a deceased person for more than three days, except for a husband, for whom the mourning period is four months and ten days. During this time, we were not to use kohl, nor wear perfume, nor wear dyed clothing except for garments made of 'Asb (coarsely dyed yarn). We were, however, granted a concession at the time of purification—when one of us bathed following her menses—to use a small amount of Kust (costus) or Azfar (fragrant substances). We were also forbidden from following funeral processions.' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari). And Allah the Exalted knows best."