Business Rulings
Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari Madani
Renting clothes to wear
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: some shopkeepers rent out readymade women’s suits for weddings. Is it lawful to rent readymade clothes?
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: It is permissible to rent readymade women’s suits for weddings for a stipulated price.
In Fatāwā Hindiyya:
اذا استاجرت المراة درعا لتلبسه اياما معلومة ببدل معلوم فهو جائز
If a woman rents a women’s shirt for a certain period with specific price, it is permissible.[1]
Mufti Amjad ꜤAlī al-AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes, “Clothes can be rented and worn.”[2]
Note: It is impermissible to lie by telling people these clothes belong to you.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Paying wages before the end of the month
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: I employ people to work in my company and I pay a monthly wage to some of them. When they were employed, they were told they would receive their wage upon the completion of the month. Yet, some employees seek payment before the end of the month due to their needs. Sometimes I pay them early and other times I do not. If I do not pay them early, am I sinful for violating their rights?
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: In the scenario of the question, the employee is informed at the time of employment that he will be paid after a month of work, and this is the process for every month. It is necessary to pay him at the end of each month, and it is not necessary to pay the full wage or part of it before the month ends. You will not be sinful for withholding payment until the end of the month. If an employee seeks advanced payment; this is a form of loan, and giving a loan to someone in need is a good deed. Do this if possible, but one is not legally bound to do so under normal circumstances.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
If there are no witnesses when a loan is given and repaid, how can differences be settled?
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: Zayd loaned money to me and I repaid it after some time. Zayd now claims I did not repay the loan, but neither of us have any witnesses. What does Islamic law tell us to do?
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: In the scenario of the question, you are required to produce witnesses for the payment of the loan. If you present witnesses, you are exempt from paying. If there are no witnesses, Zayd will be made to swear an oath that he did not receive the money. If Zayd swears an oath, it is necessary for you to pay the loan. If he refuses to swear an oath, it is not necessary upon you to pay the loan.
Mufti Amjad ꜤAlī al-AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes, “Someone gives a loan and the debtor says he repaid it or someone else repaid it without telling him. This statement of the debtor will be accepted and the creditor will be made to swear an oath.”[3]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Leftover money from a picnic
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the following: I took an equal amount of money from my friends and I contributed the same amount to book a farmhouse. The money was used to buy food and ride on animals, but there was some leftover at the end of it. Can I keep the remaining money or do I have to return it to my friends?
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: In this scenario, it is impermissible to keep the leftover money for yourself. The money is a trust in your possession, as your friends gave you an equal amount. You must return an equal amount of the leftover money back to them. You booked a farmhouse and organised food etc. for them as their representative. A representative is entrusted, so if he has money left over, he cannot keep it and must return it to his client.[4]
Muftī Amjad ꜤAlī al-AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes, “The wealth given to a wakīl or muḍārib is a trust.”[5]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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