Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (263): "Ruling on Installing Solar Energy at the Charity Medical Center from the Treatment's Earnings"

Date Added : 05-09-2018

Resolution No. (263) by the Board of Iftaa', Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on Installing Solar Energy at the Charity Medical Center from theTreatment's Earnings"

Date: ( 18/Thu Al-Hija/1439 AD) ,corresponding to (30/8/2018 AH)

On its eleventh session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the letter sent from his Excellency, the General Manager of the Zakah Fund, and it read as follow: 

As Your Grace knows, Wihdat Zakah Committee answers to the Zakah's Fund. Since this committee runs its own medical center, it desires to replace the electrical energy with solar energy against an overall cost of around (15682 JD). Moreover, this sum was taken from the medical center`s earnings (Not from the Zakah fund) and allocated for the aforementioned purpose. In addition, the medical center offers its services to all citizens at minimum costs and serves the poor through field workshops supervised by the Zakah committee. Could you inform us of the Sharia ruling as regards financing the aforementioned project from the medical center`s earnings.
After prolonged deliberations, the Board decided the following:
In principle, there is no harm in using the earnings of the medical center to finance the above project; especially since they are generated by the center, itself and this will save many future expenses and will, hopefully,be reflected on the quality of the offered services. However, this project has to be executed according to the regulations and instructions of the committees supervised by the Zakah Fund. And Allah Knows Best. 

Chairperson of Iftaa` Board,

Grand Mufti of Jordan,

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh

Sheikh Sa`eid Al-Hijjawi, Member       

Prof. Abdullah Al-Fawaaz/ Member

Dr. Muhammad Khair Al-Issa, Member

Dr. Majid Al-Darawsheh, Member

Prof. Adam Noah/ Member

Judge. Khaled Al-Wrikat

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat, Member

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on waiving a debt owed by a debtor and counting it toward zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Waiving a debt owed by a debtor, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh, does not fulfill the zakāh obligation. Rather, it constitutes an ordinary act of charity, for which Allah rewards the giver generously — since one of the conditions for the validity of zakāh is that the person paying it must form the intention of zakāh at the actual moment the wealth is paid out. In this case, the debt has already been established as a standing obligation upon the borrower, so it is not valid to simply redirect the intention toward zakāh after the fact.
It is preferable, instead, for the creditor to first collect the debt from the debtor, and then return to him the amount of money he is required to pay as zakāh — or a portion of it — if the debtor happens to fall under one of the eight categories that Allah, the Exalted, has commanded be given from zakāh.
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik, from the books of the Shāfi‘ī school: "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]." And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on obtaining financing from Islamic banks by bringing invoices in prior arrangement with the seller, then taking the cash after the financing is approved — with the purpose of settling debts and buying a car?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It appears from the transaction described that its underlying purpose is to obtain cash through resorting to a legal artifice (ḥīlah/tawarruq-style trick), and it is not permissible to engage in such trickery or to coordinate with the various parties merely to obtain liquidity. This is because such artifices bring the sale closer in reality to a ribā-based (usurious) transaction, even if it outwardly appears otherwise.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not commit what the Jews committed, thereby making lawful what Allah has made unlawful through the flimsiest of tricks." This was related by Ibn Baṭṭah in his book Ibṭāl al-Ḥiyal (p. 47), and many scholars have graded it as ḥasan (sound/acceptable).
We have already explained the impermissibility of engaging in such deceptive dealings with Islamic banks in Fatwa No. 516, so please refer to it. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is it valid to have Suhoor before sleeping, even if it is before midnight?

Suhoor refers to the pre-dawn meal eaten after midnight to help a Muslim endure fasting. The closer it is to Fajr, the better.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "My Ummah will remain upon goodness as long as they hasten to break the fast and delay Suhoor." [Narrated by Ahmad]
This is because delaying Suhoor makes it more effective in providing strength for worship. However, if there is a risk of Fajr entering while eating, one should refrain from Suhoor out of caution. 
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]

What is the ruling on someone who doesn`t perform prayer?

All perfect praise be to Allah,The Lord of The Worlds                                                                                                                                                                    Not performing prayer is a major sin, and one who doesn`t pray out of laziness is considered an oft-sinner ;whereas, the one who denies that it is mandatory is considered a disbeliever. And Allah Knows Best.