Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(98): "Ruling on the Statute of Al-Ballorah Assakhina Employees` Association"

Date Added : 08-12-2015

 

Resolution No.(98) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on the Statute of Al-Ballorah Assakhina Employees` Association"

 

 

We have received the following question:

What is the ruling of Islamic Sharia on the statute of Al-Ballorah Assakhina Association?

Answer: 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.

Having reviewed the statute of the above association, the Board is of the view that article four of the annexed statute must be amended. It originally stated:

"A member of the association shall be responsible for paying the price of the commodity after examining it and agreeing with the seller on the price, and he shall not hand the money to the beneficiary whatever the case may be."

The Board believes that this article must be rewritten as follows: "The association shall deputize one of its members to purchase the commodity required by the beneficiary after examining it and paying its price to the seller. Once the association takes possession of the commodity, it shall resell it to the beneficiary."

The Board have demanded this amendment because it isn`t permissible for the association to sell the commodity to the beneficiary except after purchasing and taking possession of it so as to avoid the suspicion of Riba (usury/interest), as indicated in the following Hadith narrated by Hakim Bin Hizam: "I bought some food and made food and made a profit on it (by selling it) before I took possession of it. I came to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that and he said: "Do not sell it until you take possession of it." {Narrated by Ahmad in his Mussnad, vol.3/pp.402}. And Allah Knows Best.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

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.

When is Istikharah (guidance prayer) Du`a offered, before Tasleem (saying asalamu alikum warahmatu allah wa barakatuh to end the prayer), or after it?

It is offered after Tasleem.

What is the ruling on someone who possesses gold with the intention of saving/hoarding it, and owns nothing else — is he obligated to sell a portion of it in order to pay the zakāh due on it?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Zakāh becomes immediately obligatory on cash, and likewise on gold — that which is not designated for a woman's personal adornment— once both reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold liable for zakah) and a full ḥawl (lunar year) has passed over them. It is not permissible to delay payment when it is genuinely possible to pay — meaning, when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both available. It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vol.2/p.129): "Zakāh is obligatory immediately once it becomes feasible to pay it, meaning when the wealth and the eligible recipients are both present."
The one paying zakāh must discharge the obligatory zakāh due on saved (hoarded) gold either from the gold itself, or from its equivalent monetary value, in the event that no other funds are available — since paying from the gold itself is the original default (al-aṣl). It becomes permissible to pay from other funds instead only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency, as stated in Asnā al-Maṭālib (Vol.1/p.366): "When a full ḥawl has elapsed on wealth other than trade goods... zakāh attaches to the actual asset itself (al-‘ayn), and the poor effectively become partners in it — even, for example, [becoming partners] in camels through the value of a sheep [owed as zakāh on them]... Paying from other wealth is permitted only because zakāh is built upon the principle of ease and leniency."
Accordingly: the one paying zakāh must discharge it either from the actual saved gold itself, or by selling a portion of the gold equal to the amount of zakāh owed. He may also borrow money to pay the zakāh, or pay the zakāh in installments before the ḥawl is complete [as an advance payment]. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

What does (Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeking reward) mean?

This phrase is part of a hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and seeks his reward from Allah, their past sins will be forgiven." [Agreed upon]
The meaning is:
● They fast Ramadan with firm belief that Allah has made it obligatory.
● They fast out of obedience to Allah, knowing they will meet Him.
● They hope for reward from Allah and fast purely out of their faith while seeking His reward.