Dar al-Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah
Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
1. What is the ruling of making a card payment when online shopping?
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following. When ordering products online from various companies, payment is taken first, and goods are then delivered to the customer in the next couple of days. Is it permissible to make a card payment before the customer receives the items?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: In the scenario described by the questioner, it is permissible to make the card payment beforehand. There is no harm in this, because when the product’s features, appearance, price, quantity etc. are known, and all the conditions of a business transaction are fulfilled, the transaction is not nullified if the customer does not take possession of the product. For the transaction to be valid, it is not necessary for the customer to take possession of the item. Instead, the contract is established simply through an offer and acceptance, or a process called bayʿ Taati تعاطی. It is not permissible for the customer to sell this movable item if he does not have possession of it.
Keep in mind that this is not bayʿ salam, but a general transaction. The latter requires the product to be present (which is the case in this scenario), then payment is made before the customer takes possession of the goods. This does not oppose the conditions of a general transaction. Similarly, it is not necessary to immediately take possession of the money paid, whereas the situation in bayʿ salam is very different. This business contract has specific conditions, details of which can be found in Bahār-i-Sharīat’s 11th part. One condition is to give the money to the seller immediately, after which the customer takes possession of the product. In bayʿ salam, the goods are not present when the contract is made.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
2. Giving water to people on the 9th and 10th of Muḥarram
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following. A man from my village claimed it is impermissible to give water to people on the 9th and 10th of Muḥarram. Please clarify this issue.
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: Giving water to Muslims on the 9th or 10th of Muḥarram, to please Allah Almighty and for conveying reward to the martyrs of Karbala; this is permissible and a rewardable action. Many Hadith inform us of how giving water is the greatest charity and a means of forgiveness.
It is reported in Sunan Abī Dāwūd:
عن سعد بن عبادة انه قال: يا رسول الله، ان ام سعد ماتت، فاي الصدقة افضل؟ قال: الماء، قال: فحفر بئرا، وقال: هذه لام سعد
Saʿd b. ʿUbādah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ reports of how he said, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! My mother Umm Saʿd رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا passed away. What is the best charity I can give on her behalf?” He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied by saying, “Water”, after which he رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ dug a well and declared, “This is for the mother of Saʿd.”[1]
Commentary on this Hadith can be found in Mirʾāt al-Manājīḥ, “Some people set up water stalls, and Muslims usually place a glass of water amongst other things when reciting Fātiḥah. These practices find their origin in this blessed Hadith, as giving water is the best charity.”[2]
In another Hadith:
حدثنا انس بن مالك قال: قال رسول الله صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم:اذا كثرت ذنوبك فاسق الماء على الماء تتناثر كما يتناثر الورق من الشجر في الريح العاصف
Anas b. Mālik رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ reports, “The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘When your sins become many, give plentiful water to people. Your sins will fall away like the leaves of a tree in the wind.’”[3]
An intention to convey reward to the deceased should be made when setting up a water stall. It is written in Fatāwā Riḍawiyyah:
Make intention to convey reward to the deceased and do not be ostentatious. There is no doubt in its lawfulness (i.e. in giving water). Make sweet drinks and say, “O Allah Almighty! I give this drink to others to convey comfort to the soul of Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, so convey this reward to him.” Fātiḥah and other litanies can be recited along with this. These drinks should then be given to Muslims.[4]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
3. PRP therapy for hair restoration
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say about this issue: is PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy for hair restoration permissible? Blood is taken from the body and plasma is separated from it. The plasma then is injected into the scalp to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss.
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: Medical treatment with human blood is not permissible. Once blood is separated from the body, it is a major impurity and haraam. It is unlawful to use something haraam and impure for treatment, and Allah Almighty has not placed a cure in such things. Likewise, it is impermissible to use human body parts for treatment, as Allah Almighty made humans a noble and respected creation. Using a human’s body parts for treatment opposes this honour, even if these parts are from the patient himself.
If no alternative treatment is possible, and this is affirmed by a doctor who is not a fāsiq muʿlin, this form of treatment would then be permitted. This is not the case in the scenario of the questioner, as there are many other permissible ways of treating hair loss. As a result, PRP therapy will never be lawful.
A specific part of blood is utilised in PRP, and it does not change the formers nature. There are three components of blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma. Through centrifugation, the red and white blood cells fall to the bottom due to their higher density, and plasma moves to the top. It is then extracted and used as medicine.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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