Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(58): “Which Party is Responsible for Settling the Usurious Interests In the Following Financial Dispute?“

Date Added : 02-11-2015

 

Resolution No.(58): “Which Party is Responsible for Settling the Usurious Interests In the Following Financial Dispute?“

Date: 9/11/1422 AH corresponding to 23/1/2002 AD.

 

The Board received the following question:

A citizen had obtained a license for a taxicab agency, so he asked me to buy him a certain brand of cars from a neighboring country because I have an automobile agency. We have agreed upon paying me half of the price in advance, I pay the other half, I process the cars through customs, licensing Dept. and register them in the name of his taxicab agency i.e. his name, and then he pays me the other half afterwards.

After I have delivered my end of the deal and mortgaged the cars to the Jordan-Kuwait Bank, he backed down and didn`t pay the second half due on him, rather, he requested allocating that sum, so I was forced to withdraw my investment account at the Jordan-Islamic Bank, which led my accounts in other banks to be in the red. As a result, the Jordan-Kuwait Bank started charging interests and I was forced to make a new arrangement with the debtor whereby he shall pay the second half of the sum divided over twelve bills in addition to paying an increase over the commission agreed upon earlier. However, before paying the last three bills, I remitted the debtor from half of the agreed upon increase. My question is of three parts:

1- Who is to pay off the interests of the Jordan-Kuwait Bank?

2- Is it permissible for me to calculate the profits that were lost because of withdrawing my investment account at the Jordan-Islamic Bank?

3- What is the Sharia ruling on the increase, which we have agreed upon in return for allocating the second half of the sum due on the debtor?

Answer: All success is due to Allah.

1- The increase agreed upon with the owner of the taxicab agency against (debtor) his delay in payment is unlawful and it is impermissible for the creditor to take it because it is a forbidden interest. Allah Says in this regard {what means}: “but God hath permitted trade and forbidden usury.” {Al-Baqarah/275}.

2- In case the owner of the automobile agency took the aforementioned interest, he should give it back to the owner of the taxicab agency. If that wasn`t possible, then he should give it as charity or spend it in charitable causes and in favor of Muslims` public interest because it is ill-gotten money.

3- The interests charged on the owner of the automobile agency due to the overdrawing of his account are to be settled by him because they are forbidden and resulted from his dealing with a non-Islamic bank. In addition, it is imperative that he avoids dealing in usurious interests, seeks forgiveness of Allah and makes genuine repentance to Him. Allah Says {what means}: “O ye who believe! Fear God, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if ye are indeed believers. If ye do it not, Take notice of war from God and His Apostle: But if ye turn back, ye shall have your capital sums: Deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.” {Al-Baqarah/278}. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Iftaa` Board

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Chief Justice, Izz Al-Deen Al-Tamimi

               Dr. Mohammad Abu Yahia     

                                                                    Dr. Ahmad Hilayil

                Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi       

               Sheikh Mahmoud Shwayyaat

    Dr. Yousef Gheezaan

Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

   Sheikh Saeid Hijjawi

      Sheikh Naeim Mujahid

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Summarized Fatawaa

 
What is the ruling on someone who eats or drinks while uncertain about the arrival of dawn, then later finds out that dawn had not yet broken?

If a person does this, their fast remains valid, as it is confirmed that they ate during the night. Similarly, if someone eats while uncertain and remains unsure whether they ate before or after dawn, their fast is still valid. This is based on the maxim of Sharia Law, which states: "Certainty is not removed by doubt." Certainty, here, is the presence of night, and the doubt concerns the arrival of dawn. Therefore, one relies on certainty and disregards doubt.

Is it permissible to divide a single Sa‘ of Zakat al-Fitr—or its equivalent value in cash—among more than one poor person?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Zakat al-Fitr is estimated at one Sa‘ per person, but the number of people to whom this Sa‘ can be given has not been specified. For this reason, it is permissible to distribute a single Sa‘ among more than one poor person. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on doubting whether one or two prostrations were performed?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If a worshiper is in doubt regarding the number of units (rak'ahs) or prostrations (sajdahs) performed, he must build upon the minimum (i.e., assume the lower number) and perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw) before the Salam at the end of the prayer. This is based on the report from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'When anyone of you is in doubt about his Salat (prayer) and does not know how many he has prayed, three or four (Rak'at) he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. Then, he should perform two prostrations before Taslim (salutation). If he has prayed five Rak'at, they will make his Salat (prayer) an even number for him and if he has prayed exactly four, they (i.e. two prostrations) will be humiliation for the devil..' (Narrated by Abu Dawud).
 
It is stated in Al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'If one doubts [whether he performed] a bowing (ruku’), a prostration, or a rak'ah, he must perform it and prostrate [for forgetfulness], even if the doubt is removed before the Salam—unless the doubt is removed before he performs what would potentially be an addition. Thus, if he doubts whether he prayed three or four, he is obligated to build upon the minimum.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

When is it Sunnah to slaughter the 'aqīqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is Sunnah for the 'aqīqah to be slaughtered on the seventh day from the birth of the newborn. According to the sounder position, the day of birth itself is counted as the first of the seven days. Thus, for example, if the child is born on a Saturday, the 'aqīqah is to be slaughtered on the following Friday. If the child is born at night, the count begins from the day that follows. And Allah Almighty knows best.