Resolution No.(56): “Ruling on Reducing the Profits Due on the Purchaser (In Islamic Murabaha) Against His Settling of Payments Ahead of their Due Time, or Vice Versa“

Date: 22/9/1422 AH corresponding to 7/11/2001 AD.

The Board recieved the following question:

What is the ruling of Islamic Sharia on reducing the profits due on the purchaser for the Orphans` Fund Development Foundation against paying them ahead of time, or increasing them in case of delay?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

Reducing the profits due on the purchaser (in case he settled all the payments due on him before the due time of the last one) isn`t permissible because the transaction/sale had been settled and the price of the commodity became due on him; therefore, it is impermissible to reduce any percentage of the profit in return for settling all the payments before the due date of the last one.

Similarly, the Board is of the view that it is impermissible to add any percentage to the profits due on purchasers (in Murabaha) against their procrastination in settling payments as this is considered a usurious interest.

The Foundation may-in case of extreme insolvency- defer the payments due on these purchasers as it deems suitable, and without adding any percentage to the profit due on them for Allah Says in the Noble Quran {what means}: “If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time Till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew. “ {Al-Baqarah/280}. And Allah Knows Best.

Iftaa` Board
Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izz Al-Deen Al-Tamimi
                   Dr. Mohammad Abu Yahia       
                    Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi         
    Dr. Yousef Gheezaan
Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri
   Sheikh Saeid Hijjawi
        Sheikh Na`eim Mojahid

1) For further details in this regard, kindly refer to RES No. (61)