Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(3): “Ruling on Resorting to Arbitration to Settle Disputes between People”

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

Resolution No.(3): "Ruling on Resorting to Arbitration to among Disputants” 

 

Praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds; and may His Blessings and Peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

The Board is of the view that arbitration is permissible in Sharia as has been indicated by the Noble Quran, the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), and the practices of the Sahabah (companions).

The Noble Quran:

As regards disputing spouses, Allah Says (What means): “If ye fear a breach between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace, God will cause their reconciliation: For God hath full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things.“ {An-Nissa`/35}.

The Sound Sunnah:

Abu Shoraih reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said to him: “Allah is the Hakam (arbiter), why do people call you Abu al-Hakam? He said: Whenever my people have a dispute over any matter, they would call me to settle that dispute, and both parties would be pleased with my verdict. The Prophet said: well done. What is the name of your oldest son? He said: Shoraih. The Prophet said: Then you are Abu Shoraih!! “ {An-Nassa`e}. This Hadith indicates that the Prophet (PBUH) commended and permitted arbitration when he approved Abu Shoraih`s act by saying to him {Well done}.

Moreover, it was reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever arbitrates between two persons who come to him willingly, but passes an unjust verdict is cursed. “

The Righteous Companions (May Allah Be Pleased with all of them) used to observe arbitration among one another in case of a dispute, as narrated that Umar bin al-Khatab (May Allah Be Pleased with him) sent a nomad to Shoraih for arbitration before appointing the latter as a judge.

Furthermore, it was narrated that Uthman Bin Affan and Talhah sought the arbitration of Jobair Bin Mote`im who wasn`t a judge yet, and they were pleased with his judgment, and this matter occurred before the honorable companions.

An arbiter must adhere to legal principles and procedures in the following: hearings, proceedings, and issuance of verdict, in order to observe justice. He must allow every litigant to plead his case and present arguments and pieces of evidence. He must start by listening to the plaintiff and consider his pieces of evidence, then listen to the defendant. He must also listen to witnesses in case there was a need for doing so. All of this must be conducted in the arbitration council. An arbiter mustn`t  be biased because arbitration is a form of the judiciary, so he must resort to neutrality, and he may not pass a verdict without a sound reason such as a confession, or evidence, or else. He must also consider the minutest details of the case and observe justice when issuing the verdict. And Allah Knows Best.

The Board of Iftaa'

 

Decision Number [ Previous | Next ]


Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for the person who hasn`t made wudu` (state of minor ritual impurity) to perform the Adhan?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is disliked (Makruh) for a person in a state of minor ritual impurity (Hadath Asghar) to perform the Adhan. However, if he does so, his Adhan is considered valid and fulfills the sunnah of the Adhan despite it being disliked. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Is it permissible to give to the poor from among the People of the Book from the Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon our Master the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible to give to the poor among the People of the Book from a voluntary sacrifice (uḍḥiyyat taṭawwuʿ), just as it is permissible to give charity (ṣadaqah) to them. This opinion is a view (wajh) within the Shāfiʿī school, which was favored by al-Muḥibb al-Ṭabarī and Imam al-Nawawī. [See: Ḥāshiyat Ibn Qāsim al-ʿAbbādī ʿalā Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj (Vol.9/P.365)]. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on the follower`s prayer if the Imam stands for a fifth rak`ah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If the Imam stands up for an extra unit (rak‘ah) of prayer out of forgetfulness, he must return to the sitting position as soon as he remembers, and he should perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw). It is the duty of the congregants (Ma’mumin) behind him to remind him. However, if the Imam is in a state of doubt regarding the extra unit (and not certainty), it is not permissible for him to return.
 
As for the congregants: anyone who is certain that the Imam has stood for an extra unit is forbidden from following him. In this case, the follower has two choices: either intend to separate from the Imam (Mufaraqah) and finish the prayer alone, or wait for the Imam in the sitting position and perform the final salams with him—the latter being the preferred option. If a follower knowingly follows the Imam into an extra unit, their prayer becomes invalid. However, if a follower is in doubt and not certain of the mistake, they must continue following the Imam, as the Imam was appointed to be followed.
 
It is stated in Al-Majmu’ (Vol.4/P.145): 'If [the Imam] stands for a fifth rak‘ah, the follower should not follow him, even if it is assumed that the Imam might have omitted a pillar from a previous unit; because if the reality is known, following him is impermissible since the follower has certainly completed their own prayer. Even if the follower had missed a previous unit (Masbuq) or was in doubt about performing a pillar like the Fatihah, and the Imam stood for the fifth, it is not permissible for the latecomer to follow him in it. This is because we know that this unit is not counted for the Imam and that he is mistaken in performing it.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Is it permissible to offer prayer at home, or should it be offered in the mosque?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds.                                                                                                                                                                      It isn`t preferable for the man to pray at home as praying in the mosque is twenty seven times more rewarding. Therefore, this should motivate him to offer prayers in the mosque. And Allah Knows Best.