Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(40): "Ruling of Sharia on a Draft Article Concerning the Application of Zero-Interest Contracts in Financing at The Agricultural Credit Corporation"

Date Added : 15-12-2015

 

Resolution No.(40): "Ruling of Sharia on a Draft Article Concerning the Application of Zero-Interest Contracts in Financing at The Agricultural Credit Corporation"

Date: 11/11/1417 AH, corresponding to 20/3/1997

 

We have received the following question:

What is the ruling of Islamic Sharia on the draft article concerning the application of contracts in financing at The Agricultural Credit Corporation?

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 undertaken comprehensive study, the Board has arrived at the following version:

Article (1): This regulation is to be called (The regulation of zero-interest financing contracts at the Agricultural Credit Corporation)

Article (2): Words and expressions mentioned in this regulation shall have the equivalent meanings given below, unless the context indicates otherwise.

A- The Corporation: Agricultural Credit Corporation.

B- (The Board):  Board of Directors of the Agricultural Credit Corporation.

C- The Director-General:  Director-General of the Agricultural Credit Corporation.

D- The Sharia supervisory committee: The Committee formed by virtue of this regulation to make sure that the Corporation complies with the rules of Sharia when applying it (regulation).

Article (3): By applying the zero-interest regulation, the Corporation aims at achieving the following:

A- Widening the scope of transaction with the agricultural sector through providing financing and investment services based on this regulation.  

B- Utilizing means of agricultural financing and investment on zero-interest basis.

C- Participating in the provision of necessary financing to meet the needs of the agricultural sector and its targeted groups.

Article (4): The Corporation shall accomplish its goals through the following contracts:

A- Mudarabah (Co-partnership): A contract by which the Corporation provides the needed cash, partially or completely, to finance a defined transaction where the party contracted with (Mudarib) functions on basis of sharing the profit if both parties agree on a certain percentage. In case of loss, the Corporation shall assume the liability; whereas, the partner (Mudarib) shall receive no compensation for his effort, unless he was negligent or committed a violation.

B- Muzaraa`h (Sharecropping): A contract of investing an agricultural land concluded between the owner of the land and the Corporation that shall invest it, if the produce is divided according to an agreed upon percentage. 

C- Musaqah (Share-tenancy): A contract of investing trees concluded between a company `s owner and the Corporation whereby the latter takes care of the trees provided that the produce is divided according to an agreed upon percentage.

D- Almogharasah (farm leasing): A contract between the land lord and the Corporation whereby the latter plants the land and takes care of the planted trees and provides whatever is needed for that end during a certain period, provided that the Corporation utilizes it in accordance with the agreed upon conditions.

E-Murabaha: It means selling an object while informing the purchaser of its original price and the profit he (seller) is getting in this deal. The conditions of the validity of this transaction are the same as the other transactions, i.e. the sold item itself should be lawful, pure, useful, in the possession of seller, and the seller should be able to hand it over to the purchaser. 

F- Istisnaa` (Making at the customer`s order): A contract concluded between the Corporation and the manufacturer whereby the latter shall manufacture a specified type and quantity of a certain commodity within a specified deadline of delivery in return for a defined price to be paid by the Corporation, against the needed materials and work, or the work in case the Corporation provided the needed materials.

G- Salam (Buying in advance): Amongst the conditions for the validity of Salam transaction:

1- The sold property should be describable in terms of features, quantity and available upon delivery time.

2- The contract should include the kind of the sold item, description, quantity and date of delivery.

3- If the contract doesn`t include the date of delivery, the seller is bound to deliver the item at the contracting council.

H-Any other contracts approved by the Board.

Article (5): These contracts fall under the umbrella of the stipulations of the Civil Law.

Article (6): The Corporation shall accept the investors` funds for investing them in its sphere of activities in line with the rules of Islamic Sharia.

Article (7): The Corporation may manage the manageable properties and assets on basis of sharing the profits in line with the rules of the Mudarabah (co-partnership) contract.

Article (8): The Board of Directors shall appoint a Sharia supervisory committee of no less than three specialized scholars. In addition, none may neutralize that committee, dismiss or change any of its members, save by a resolution from the Board, and a direct recommendation from the Director-General.

Article (9): The Board of Directors shall abide by the opinion of the Committee in the following:

A- The instructions issued by the Board regarding the forms and agreements necessary for executing the above contracts.

B- Reviewing the reasons for holding the Corporation responsible for any loss in investment and financing in order to check the Sharia evidence, which backs the resolution of the Board.

Article (10): The Corporation shall draw up its general policy pertaining to zero-interest financing and investment while maintaining a sufficient flow of cash in line with the sound banking customs and practices.

Article (11): The Corporation`s law, regulations and their amendments shall be enforced in cases not addressed in this regulation and after the consent of the Sharia supervisory committee.

Article (12): The Board shall issue the applied instructions necessary for executing this regulation. And Allah Knows Best.

 

Chairman of the Iftaa Board, The Supreme Judge, Izuldeen At-Tamimi
Sheikh Sa`eid Hijjawi
Sheikh Ibrahim Khashan
Dr. Abdulsalam Al-Abbadi
Dr. Fat-hi Al-Duraini
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Bakheet
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Sartawi
Sheikh Mahmoud Shewayat 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the wisdom behind legislating the Udhiyah?

The Muslim must know that through the Uḍḥiyah, he complies with the command of Allah, the Exalted, and performs a worship that brings him closer to Allah and distances him from the Fire.
 
The Uḍḥiyah holds profound wisdoms and noble meanings, including:
 
1-Reviving the Sunnah of Abraham, peace be upon him: He complied with Allah's command when He ordered him to slaughter his son Ishmael. Abraham, peace be upon him, succeeded in the test, and when he was about to slaughter his son, Allah sent down a ram to ransom Ishmael and commanded him to slaughter it instead. Allah, the Exalted, says {what means]: "And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, 'O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.' He said, 'O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.' And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, 'O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision.' Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice." [Al-Ṣāffāt/102-107]. Thus, the sacrificial offering became an enduring Sunnah until the Day of Judgment, and Muslims offer their wealth as sacrifices, drawing closer to Allah, the Exalted, reviving this great Sunnah.
 
2-Providing abundance for people on Eid day and the Days of Tashrīq: Among the wisdoms of the Uḍḥiyah is that the Muslim provides generously for his family, neighbors, relatives, and the poor during these days. The Muslim is encouraged to eat from his sacrifice, give charity from it to the poor, and gift from it to his wealthy neighbors. Thus, goodness spreads throughout the entire community. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The Days of Tashrīq are days of eating and drinking." (Narrated by Muslim). Allah, the Exalted, says {what means}: "And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good." [Al-Ḥajj/36]. This good includes the good of both this world and the Hereafter.

Is it permissible for a woman to sit with her brothers-in-law?

It is impermissible for a woman to sit with her brothers-in-law, and it is also impermissible for a person to have a Khulwa (seclusion) with his sister-in-law.

When does the time for Udhiyah begin?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The permissible timeframe for Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) begins on the day of Eid al-Adha—the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah—once the sun has risen and a period of time sufficient to perform two brief prayer units (Rak'ahs) and two short sermons (Khutbahs) has passed. This window remains open until the sun sets on the final day of Tashreeq, which is the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.
 
Our Master, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), said: "Every valley of Mina is a place of sacrifice, and slaughtering may be done throughout all the days of Tashreeq." (Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Hibban)
 
The days of Tashreeq refer to the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.
 
The most virtuous time to perform the sacrifice is immediately after concluding the Eid prayer, based on the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "The first thing we do on this day of ours is to pray, then we return and offer our sacrifice. Whoever does that has acted in accordance with our Sunnah (tradition), and whoever slaughters before that, it is merely meat he has provided for his family; it has nothing to do with the ritual sacrifice." (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
 
What is meant here is an estimation of time rather than the actual performance of the prayer itself, as our Master, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), used to offer the Eid al-Adha prayer immediately after sunrise.
 
The sacrifice is valid if performed at any time during these designated days, whether by day or by night, though slaughtering at night is considered disliked (Makruh). And Allah the Almighty 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.