Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(115): “Sharia Ruling on Leasing a Place as a Cinema

Date Added : 28-10-2015

Resolution No.(115): “Sharia Ruling on Leasing a Place as a Cinema“

Date: 4/9/1427AH, corresponding to  27/9/2006AD

 

 The board received the following question:

What is the ruling of Sharia on leasing an area in a trading block as a cinema?

Answer: All success is due to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds

The Board is of the view that it is impermissible to do so because it is more likely that the movies which will be shown would contain that which violates the rulings of Islamic Sharia, even if that cinema helps in making the block`s business a success. This is because the end doesn`t justify the means, and as the end should be lawful, so should the means, but the latter isn`t because it (cinema) would show movies that promote vice and lead to mixing between the two sexes. Every act that leads to the illegal is by itself illegal as well. Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: ”O ye who believe! Give of the good things that ye have (honourably) earned, and of the fruits of the earth, which We have produced for you, and do not even aim at getting anything which is bad, in order that out of it ye may give away something, when ye yourselves would not receive it except with closed eyes. And know that God is Free of all wants, and worthy of all praise.“ {Al-Baqarah/267}. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Allah The Almighty Is Good and Accepts only that which is good. In addition, verily Allah Has Commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers. So the Almighty Has Said (What means): “O (you) Messengers! Eat of the tayyibat [all kinds of halal (legal) foods], and perform righteous deeds.” [23:51] and the Almighty, Has Said (What means): “O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you.” [2:172]. Then he (PBUH) mentioned [the case] of a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying “O Lord! O Lord,” while his food is haram (unlawful), his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can [his supplication] be answered? [Muslim].

And Allah Knows Best.

.

The Iftaa' Board

             Chairman of The Iftaa' Board

               Cheif Justice Dr.Ahmad Hlyaal

                        Sheikh AbdelKareem Al-Khasawneh

     Dr. Yousef Ali  Ghythan 

                            Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri                               

 Sheikh Saeed Hijawii

    Sheikh Naeem Mujahid

Dr. Yaser Al-Shamali

 

 

 


(1) Related by Moslim in his Sahih, Al-Zakah book, Ch. Accepting and investing charity out of a lawful sources, Hadith No. (1015) narrated by Abu Hurayra (May Allah Be Pleased with him).

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on discharging one's zakāh obligation through the provision of a specific benefit (manfa‘ah) — such as performing a surgical operation for a patient, or providing housing to a tenant, and counting the value of this service as zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory to pay zakāh from the actual asset (‘ayn al-māl) upon which zakāh is due, except in the case of zakāh on trade goods ('urūḍ at-tijārah), which is paid based on their monetary value. In all cases, zakāh must be given in the form of tamlīk (a full transfer of ownership), based on the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (which mean): "Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy, and for those employed to collect [zakāh], and for bringing hearts together [for Islam], and for freeing captives [or slaves], and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler — an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" [at-Tawbah/60]. The letter "lām" (لِ) in this verse — as in "lil-fuqarā'" ("for the poor") — indicates possession/ownership (lām al-milk).
It is not permissible to fulfill one's zakāh obligation by providing a benefit or service (manfa‘ah) — such as housing, education, or medical treatment — in place of the zakāh itself. This is because zakāh must be paid as wealth (māl) that is transferred into the ownership of the poor recipient, whereas such services are intangible benefits that are not, in themselves, capable of being formally transferred in ownership (ghayr qābilah lit-tamlīk). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What is the ruling on having an intention (Niyyah) for every prayer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Intention (Niyyah) is a pillar (Rukn) without which the prayer is not valid. The worshiper must have an intention for every prayer, meaning they must consciously intend the act of worship they are performing. Its timing must coincide with the opening Takbir (Takbirat al-Ihram). It is not a requirement to utter it verbally; rather, doing so is considered a recommended Sunnah. There are three levels of intention:
 
1-If the prayer is obligatory (Fard): It is mandatory to include the Intent (to pray), the Specification (which prayer, e.g., 'Asr), and the Obligation (recognizing it as a Fard). For example, one should bring to mind or say: 'I intend to pray the Fard of 'Asr.'
 
2-If it is a voluntary prayer restricted by a specific time or cause (Sunnah Muqayyadah): It is mandatory to include the Intent and the Specification. For example: 'I intend to pray the Sunnah before Zuhr' or 'I intend to pray Duha.'
 
3-If it is an absolute voluntary prayer (Nafl Mutlaq): It is sufficient to simply have the Intent to pray. For example: 'I intend to pray.'
 
And Allah the Exalted knows best.

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 on making up missed fasts from many years?

A Muslim must make up for any missed fasts, as they are a debt owed to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The debt owed to Allah is more deserving of being fulfilled." [Narrated by Muslim]
Whoever has missed fasts must make them up as long as they are alive and capable of fasting.