Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No. (287): "Permissibility of Interest-Free Loans Provided by Islamic Banks"

Date Added : 27-05-2020

Resolution No. (287)(7/2020) by the Board of Iftaa, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Permissibility of Interest-Free Loans Provided by Islamic Banks"

Date: 14/Ramadan/1441 Hijri, corresponding to 7/5/2020 AD.

 

Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds.

At its fifth meeting held on the above date, the Board reviewed the question about small and medium-sized companies support program launched by the Jordan Islamic Bank based on an agreement with the Central Bank of Jordan in a bid to address the corona pandemic (See attached copy).

After careful consideration, the Board has taken the following decision:

First: Loans which will be provided by the Jordan Islamic Bank in cooperation with the Central Bank of Jordan don`t entail any interests. Rather, they are interest-free and aim to help the financially troubled businesses pay the salaries of their staff during the corona pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Second: The defined fees charged by the Jordan Islamic Bank  on these loans cover administrative expenses-as stipulated in the agreement-and aren`t part of the bank`s profits. In fact, many Fatwas and resolutions of international Islamic Fiqh academies indicate that it is permissible to impose administrative fees on borrowers of interest-free loans so long as they (fees) are equal to the actual cost of the administrative expenses.

 Third: Although stipulating loan insurance at the Jordan Credit Guarantee Company with (25.%) as an annual commission is a sort of commercial insurance, which is basically prohibit, it is allowed at  the time of pandemic. The evidence on this is that the agreed upon maxims of Islamic jurisprudence affirm that necessities render prohibited things permissible. Al-Juwaini added: "General need is tantamount to individual necessity at time of affliction…….If the people ignored that need until it became a necessity, all of them would perish. Thus, they have to do what needs to be done to prevent present or future harm." {Ghayath al-Umam}.

In conclusion, little flaw is forgivable at the time of pandemic to enable communities overcome crisis with minimum loss where every member is expected to do their share of solidarity and cooperation which are the highest objectives of Sharia. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.

 

 Chairperson of Iftaa` Board,

Grand Mufti of Jordan,

Dr. Abdulkareem al-Khasawneh

Dr. Ahmad al-Hasanat, Member

Dr. Mohammad al-khalayleh

Dr. Mahmoud al-Sartawi, Member

Sheikh Sa`eid Al-Hijjawi, Member

Judge Khalid Woraikat, Member

Dr. Majed al-Darawsheh, Member

Dr. Mohammad Al-Zou`bi/ Member

Prof. Adam Nooh Al-Qhodaat/Member

Dr. Amjad Rasheed/Member

Dr. Jamil Khatatbeh/Member

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Summarized Fatawaa

Does vomiting during the day in Ramadan break the fast?

Intentional vomiting is one of the nullifiers of fasting; whoever vomits deliberately breaks their fast.
However, if vomiting occurs involuntarily, the fast remains valid as long as nothing returns to the body cavity (jauf). If anything is swallowed back, the fast is invalidated.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever is overcome by vomiting does not have to make up the fast, but whoever induces vomiting deliberately must make it up." [Narrated by Abu Dawood and At-Tirmidhi]

How is Laylat al-Qadr observed?

Laylat al-Qadr is observed through various acts of worship and obedience, including:
● Performing obligatory, Sunnah, and voluntary prayers
● Reciting the Quran
● Increasing remembrance (dhikr) of Allah
● Giving charity
● Performing I‘tikaf
● Inviting others to Allah
It is also Sunnah to increase in supplication and humbly beseeching Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.

What is the ruling on selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) described with specific attributes and authorizing an agent to slaughter them?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Selling sacrificial animals (udhiyah) that are described with specific attributes is permissible. This falls under the category of a salam sale (forward sale) if conducted using the terminology of salam, and under the category of a regular sale if not using the terminology of salam.
 
As for authorizing the seller to slaughter the sacrificial animal, the basic principle is that it is permissible, because the agent (wakil) stands in the place of the principal (muwakkil) in achieving his objective. This is a contract that the principal (the buyer) is entitled to perform himself, so authorizing another (the seller) to do so on his behalf is valid.
 
However, it is a condition for authorization to slaughter that the intention (niyyah) is present either at the time of slaughter or at the time of handing over the sacrificial animal to the agent. The basic principle is that the sacrificial animal must be specifically designated, as it is an act of worship. It is not required to designate it at the time of slaughter; rather, it is valid to do so before that.
 
It is permissible for the principal either to delegate the intention to the agent or to formulate it himself when authorizing the agent to slaughter. However, the sacrificial animal must be designated, even if at the time of slaughter, by the agent.
 
It is obligatory to designate the sacrificial animals so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own specific animal. Therefore, charitable organizations and companies must take this into consideration and establish a specific mechanism that ensures no mixing of sacrificial animals occurs, so that each person offering a sacrifice receives his own designated animal. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the virtue of performing ‘Umrah in Ramadan?

Ibn ‘Abbas narrated: "When the Prophet ﷺ returned from his Hajj, he said to Umm Sinan Al-Ansariyyah: ‘What prevented you from performing Hajj?’ She replied: ‘Abu So-and-so (referring to her husband) had two camels—he performed Hajj on one of them, and the other was used to irrigate our land.’ The Prophet ﷺ then said: ‘Performing ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj with me.’" [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]
The Prophet ﷺ also said: "An ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to a Hajj." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]
For those who miss the opportunity to perform ‘Umrah in Ramadan, there are many other ways to earn great rewards. One of them is praying Fajr in congregation, then remaining in the mosque remembering Allah until sunrise, and praying two rak‘ahs.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, and then prays two rak‘ahs, will receive the reward of a complete Hajj and ‘Umrah—complete, complete, complete." [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi]