Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(138): "Ruling of Sharia on Discount Cards"

Date Added : 27-10-2015

Resolution No.(138): "Ruling of Sharia on Discount Cards

Date: 23/4/1431 AH, corresponding to 8/4/2010 AD.

 

All perfect 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 session held on the above given date, the Board reviewed the question concerning the ruling of Sharia on buying and using cards issued by some malls which sell them to customers against a nominal price. Whenever the customer purchases an item, points are recorded in his favor and when they reach a certain number; he receives a prize or a discount.

After thorough studying and deliberating, the Board decided the following:

There are different situations as far as these cards are concerned:

1- If they are given by the mall or the company to the customer for free in order for him to take part in prize drawing or to receive some discounts, then they are permissible. This way, they are tantamount to a promise, to cut down prices or grant prizes, made to the customer. A promise to grant a benefit is permissible provided that the mall or company doesn`t employ this as a trick to increase the prices of the products.

2- If they are paid for by the customer against an amount which is greater than the cost of processing and issuing them, or they are processed against paying an annual subscription, then this type of cards is definitely forbidden because it involves gambling. This way, the mall makes a profit out of selling them; whereas, the customer enters a gambling process, where he may win the discounts and the prizes, or nothing; because he didn`t have the needed number of points to be qualified for receiving  the benefits of these cards, or because he didn`t purchase from that particular mall. The probability that relies on chance is the forbidden gambling and called Gharar (risk and uncertainty) that Islamic Sharia has forbidden in commutative contracts.

3- If the cards are bought by the customer against a certain amount, which is only intended to cover the cost of processing and issuing them, without the mall making any profit, then this is suspicious and requires further examination. To be on the safe side, a Muslim should avoid such suspicious matters.

The above is the view adopted by the Islamic Fiqh Assembly of the Muslim World League No. (103)(2/18) and it reads: 

First: It isn`t permissible to issue or purchase the aforementioned discount cards against a fixed price or an annual subscription, because they involve Gharar; the purchaser pays money and doesn`t know what he will get in return i.e. definite loss against potential benefit. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah forbade Gharar transaction and Hasah transactions." {Sahih Muslim}.

Second: If these cards are issued for free, then their issuance and acceptance are permissible, because they are tantamount to a donation or a grant. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Chairperson of the Iftaa` Board, Grand Mufti of Jordan, Dr. Abdulkareem al-Khasawneh

Vice Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, 

                                                            Dr. Ahmad Hilayel

                                                            Dr. Yahia al-Botoosh/ Member

                                                            Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi/ Member

                                                            Dr. Mohammad Khair al-Eesa/ Member

                                                            Judge Sari Atieh/ Member

     Dr. Abdurahamn Ibbdah/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Okla/ Member

        Dr. Abdunnasir Abulbasal/ Member

              Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member

               Dr. Mohammad al-Gharaibeh/ Member

                                      Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Executive Secretary of the Iftaa Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on a woman who takes medication to delay menstruation for fasting?

If a woman takes medication (to delay menstrual period) and does not experience menstruation, her fast is valid. However, she is not advised to do so unless there is a necessity.
If the medication harms her, even potentially, it is forbidden (haram) for her to take it.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on following the actions of the imam in prayer and how this following is achieved?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The follower (ma'mum) is required to follow his imam in the actions of the prayer. This "following" (mutaba'ah) means that the follower performs each action of the prayer after the imam has begun it but before he has finished it. For example, the follower bows (in ruku') after the imam has reached the position of bowing, then rises after the imam has risen. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say the takbir; and when he bows, then bow; and when he prostrates, then prostrate" (agreed upon, i.e., reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim).
It is stated in Mughni al-Muhtaj (1/505): "Among the conditions of valid congregational prayer (iqtida') is following the imam in the actions of the prayer... meaning that following the imam is obligatory in the physical actions of the prayer, not in its verbal utterances... Complete following (kamal al-mutaba'ah) is achieved when the follower's beginning of an action comes after the imam's beginning of that same action, while the follower's beginning of the action precedes the imam's completion of it" — end of quote, with slight paraphrasing.
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on a person who insists on praying in a specific spot and becomes angry if someone else prays there?

ruling on a person who persists in praying in a specific spot and becomes angry if someone else occupies it

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Our Master the Prophet ﷺ forbade a man from habitually claiming a specific spot in the mosque as a camel claims its place (to sit); scholars consider this to be among the disliked matters (Makruhat). It is therefore obligatory to advise this individual that whoever arrives at a spot first has the most right to it. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is incumbent upon the one offering the sacrifice if, after slaughtering the animal, they discover that one of its internal organs is damaged or diseased?

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