Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(1): "Sharia Ruling on Lease Premium“

Date Added : 25-01-2018

Resolution No.(1) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:   

  "Sharia Ruling on Lease Premium"

 

Question: What is the ruling of Sharia on lease premium and the money paid against that, and is it permissible according to the rulings of Islamic Sharia?

Answer: All perfect praise is due 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.

 

Ijarah (hiring) is permissible in Islamic Sharia since the Prophet (PBUH) was sent to humanity while people were leasing and taking on lease, so he permitted that. It is well known that Ijarah is a contract whereby two parties agree upon a certain benefit in return for a compensation, that is money.

Ijarah is actually purchasing a benefit, and it is permissible to conclude an Ijarah contract upon lawful benefits, so the benefit of the leased estate is the right of the lessee, and so he enjoys the right of staying in the estate upon which the leasing contract has been concluded. Islamic Sharia has given a lessee the right of staying and residing in the leased estate, so none has the right to drive him/her out of it, and this right has a financial value according to Islamic Sharia as well as custom.

If a lessee was driven out of the estate without being paid the value of that right (lease premium), he/she may not be able to find a similar one without paying substantial amounts of money.

A lease premium is an integral part of the rent that has been agreed upon by both parties (lessor and lessee); therefore, it is permissible that the lessee pays it to the owner as a part of the rent i.e. the value of the benefit. The lessee is also permitted to sell his right in this benefit and take the lease premium from whoever wishes to purchase it for a price higher, or  lower  than that which he had paid to the owner in the first place.

On the other hand, Muslim jurists  permitted employing such a method on the estates pertaining to Islamic Awqaf (endowments) during the tenth, ninth, and eighth  centuries (H). They passed a legal ruling which  states that the Awqaf administrator has no authority to drive a lessee out of an estate so long as the latter is willing to pay the rent agreed upon in the contract. This way, Muslim jurists have given the lessee of an Awqaf estate the right to remain in it and permitted him to receive a lease premium in case he wished to vacate the estate. By analogy, it is permissible for a lessee, in ordinary types of estates, to demand a lease premium so long as the law grants him the right to stay in the estate even after the expiry of the contact. The law permitted this as a regulative measure  meant to prevent injustice, and after consulting people of sound opinion and expertise; it is parallel to putting price tags on commodities to prevent traders from rigging prices.

 

It is a purely commercial transaction that  involves buying and selling beyond suspicions of Riba (usury), or unlawfulness; therefore, contracting parties aren`t considered sinful so long as the contract has been concluded with their mutual consent. It is also impermissible for any party to revoke the contract except with the consent of the other party. And Allah Knows Best.

 

The Board of Iftaa'

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it incumbent on a husband to pay the alimony of his wife if she had left him and stayed at her parent`s without his permission?

When a wife leaves her house, and stays at her parent`s without asking her husband, she is considered a Nashiz (wife who refuses to abide by her husband’s orders), and so she doesn`t deserve an alimony.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What should someone do if they fasted for only 28 days in their country and then traveled to a place where Eid has already been declared?

If a person fasts in their country and then travels to another country where Eid has been declared, they must celebrate Eid with the people of that country.
● If their total fasts add up to 29 days, nothing is required of them.
● However, if they have only fasted 28 days, they must make up one day after Eid, because an Islamic month cannot be only 28 days.

What is the ruling on the ablution of one who touches women prohibited to him by a temporary prohibition (mahram bi-hurma mu'aqqata)?

It is prohibited to touch a woman who is temporarily prohibited (meaning one whom it becomes permissible to marry after the impediment is removed, such as the wife of a brother or paternal uncle). Touching her without a barrier invalidates ablution. And Allah the Almighty knows best.