Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(274): "Ruling on a Financial Donation Given to Orphans Fund Development Foundation"

Date Added : 01-05-2019

Resolution No.(274) (7/2019)By The Board of Iftaa', Researches anad Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on a Financial Donation Given to Orphans Fund Development Foundation"

Date: (19/Sha`ban/1440 AH), corresponding to (25/4/2019 AD).

 

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.

During its fourth session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the letter (MA/1/1/3250) of His Excellency Mr. Hamdan Al-Faw`eer, director of the Orphans Fund Development Foundation, which reads as follows: "Back in 1981, the Foundation`s board-through resolution No.(6/81) - approved of Mr. Ameen Saleh Mar`ee`s wish to donate 100.000 JDs to be invested by the Orphans Fund Development Foundation (OFDF). This is provided that the annual profits in addition to whatever sums are added to the original donation should be spent in favor of poor Muslim orphans, needy students, the poor and other charity channels. This should also be done under the supervision of the Foundation`s board and the direct participation of Mr. Maree (Donor) himself, and , in case he dies, his son shall take over, and so on. Could you kindly consider discussing this matter with the Board of Iftaa` to provide us with answers to the following questions: Is the above sum (100.000 JDs) a donation or an endowment? Does the donor or his heirs have the right to participate in distributing the annual profits, yielded from investing the above sum, amongst the aforementioned categories who don`t have any funds at the (OFDF)? Is it permissible to consider the above sum amongst the Foundation`s revenues and the earnings made from investing that sum part of the profits added annually to the orphans deposits by the Foundation? Do the heirs of the donor have the right to reclaim the original sum (100.000 JDs)?

After deliberating, the Board decided what follows:

The above sum (100.000 JDs) takes the rulings of an endowment although it was termed a donation. This wording indicates holding money in perpetuity and spending its profits in accordance with the conditions of the donor, as reflected in resolution No.(6/81) issued by the (OFDF). This is in addition to the Sharia maxim, which states that meaning/content prevails over form/structure.

In conclusion, the above sums should be transferred to a party in charge of regulating endowments affairs where it invests the sums in question and spends their profits as stipulated by the endower. In addition, it isn`t permissible for the heirs or any of them to reclaim these sums (100.000 and profits made out of investing it), because once a property is endowed, it becomes Allah`s, not the endower`s. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

Chairperson of Iftaa` Board,

Grand Mufti of Jordan,

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh

Sheikh Abdulkareem AlKhasawneh/ Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Al-Hijjawi/ Member

Dr. Muhammad Khair Al-Issa/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooh/ Member

Judge. Khaled Al-Worikat/ Member

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What are the Sunnah acts of fasting?

● Delaying Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) as long as there is no risk of Fajr beginning.
● Hastening Iftar (breaking the fast) immediately after confirming sunset.
● Performing I‘tikaf, especially during the last ten nights of Ramadan.
● Reciting the Quran frequently.
● Avoiding idle and useless talk.
● Being generous and charitable.
● Guarding oneself from desires.
● Purifying oneself from major impurity (janabah) before Fajr.

Is it obligatory to have an intention (niyyah) for every prayer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is obligatory for the worshiper to have a specific intention (Niyyah) for every prayer, meaning they must consciously intend the act of worship they are performing. The intention is a pillar (Rukn) of the prayer, and the prayer is not valid without it. It is not a requirement to utter the intention verbally; rather, doing so is considered a recommended Sunnah. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

My father has debts and asked me to repay them years ago, and I promised him I would do so upon his death — is it permissible for me to go back on my promise given that I am unable to repay them, especially since he refuses to contribute to repayment on the grounds that the debt has become my responsibility by virtue of my promise?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The established principle is that a father's debt is to be repaid from his own wealth, if he possesses sufficient means. As for the promise made by the son to repay it on his father's behalf, fulfilling such a promise is strongly recommended, and breaking it is considerably disliked. Shaykh al-Islām Imām al-Nawawī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states: "Fulfilling a promise is emphatically recommended, and breaking it is severely disliked. The evidences for this from the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are well known." [Rawḍat al-Ṭālibīn,Vol. 2/P.278] Shaykh al-Islām Imām Zakariyyā al-Anṣārī, may Allah have mercy upon him, further states: "The reason fulfilling a promise is not obligatory and breaking it is not forbidden is that a promise is in the nature of a gift, and a gift does not become binding except upon receipt." [Asnā al-Maṭālib fī Sharḥ Rawḍ al-Ṭālib,Vol. 2/P.487]
Given that the son does not possess the financial means to fulfil his promise to his father, breaking this promise falls beyond his capacity — and Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Since the father himself possesses sufficient wealth to settle his own debt, repayment must be made from his own funds. Should he pass away before doing so, the debt is to be settled from his estate. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Which holds greater virtue: The Udhiyah (Sacrificial Offering) or giving its value in Charity (Sadaqah)?

In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Offering an Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) holds greater virtue than donating its monetary value to the poor and needy. This is because the sacrifice is a prominent, manifest ritual among the sacred symbols of Islam. Allah Almighty says: "That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts." (Al-Hajj: 32)
 
Furthermore, there are numerous authentic and explicit Hadiths highlighting its immense reward. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) consistently offered this sacrifice, as did the Righteous Caliphs after him. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.