Category Archives: Commerce

Issues related to buying, selling, renting, etc.

How to Date Things By Both Hijri and Gregorian Calendars When Needed, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen

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The great scholar, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have Mercy on him), was asked the following question:

There are some people who say: We do not use the Gregorian calendar over the Hijri calendar in order to avoid showing allegiance and support [to non-Muslims]. However, the Gregorian calendar is more consistent than the Hijri calendar, in their viewpoint, saying: Most countries use this calendar, so why do we stand out and contradict them?

ANSWER: The reality is that dating things by lunar phases (i.e. the Hijri calendar) is the foundation, for all of mankind. Read the Statement of Allah, the Most High: “They ask you (O Muhammad) about the lunar phases. Say: They are references of time for the people, and for Hajj.” [2:189]

“For the people” [means]: all of them.

And read the Statement of Allah, the Most High: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah are 12 months, in the Book of Allah, the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of them, there are four sacred ones.” [9:36]

So what are those months? They are the Continue reading →

The Ruling on Forging Vaccination Records in Order to Avoid the Vaccine

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever-Merciful…

The following is a question posed to Shaykh Dr. Arafat bin Hassan al-Muhammadi (may Allah bless and preserve him) [1], on a topic which many genuinely confused Muslims may be considering due to the heavy amount of misinformation spread on social media. The reader will note that our senior scholars and their top students continue to offer sober and consistent advice about how Muslims are to return these important matters back to the scholars who are qualified to deal with matters of global safety and urgent concerns which affect the religion, health, and safety of millions of Muslims. May Allah allow this advice to reach receptive hearts.

QUESTION: May Allah be kind to you, dear virtuous shaykh, there is a questioner from France who asks: Our shaykh -may Allah bless you-, the French government has passed a law that requires vaccinations against Coronavirus for many segments of the population. Restrictions will prevent people from entering many public places, traveling, and other things, unless a person can show medical records which confirm that he, the bearer of the records, is fully vaccinated. Due to what people share from some news sources and social media outlets regarding these vaccinations, that they are potentially harmful to one’s health, or that they are a worldwide conspiracy to wipe out mankind, some people are considering ways to avoid this vaccination, like paying money to someone who would provide him with forged documents, or conspiring with a doctor to lie and say that he is fully vaccinated.

So the question then, our shaykh -may Allah bless you- is: What is the ruling on doing this? And we would like you to direct some advice to Continue reading →

Can Money Be Given as Charity in Place of the Udhiyah Sacrifice?

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

هل يجوز إخراج قيمة الشاة في العقيقة أو الأضحية وإعطاء هذا المبلغ للجمعيات الخيرية التي تكفل اليتامى والمساكين والفقراء بدلا عن شراء شاة وذبحها

QUESTION: Is it permissible to give money in place of the value of the sheep slaughtered for an ‘Aqeeqah or an Udhiyah Sacrifice? The amount of money would be given directly to charitable organizations that sponsor orphans and the poor and needy, instead of being used to actually purchase a sheep and slaughter it.

ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him):

لا يجزئ دفع القيمة عن ذبح العقيقة وذبح الأضحية؛ لأن ذبحهما والأكل من لحمهما والتصدق منه عبادة لا يقوم مقامها التصدق بالقيمة.

It is Continue reading →

Working in Construction: Building a Church

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The Standing Committee for Religious Verdicts (al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah) was asked:

Can a Muslim who works in construction build a church for non-Muslims?

They replied: Continue reading →

Differences Between “Khamr” and “Alcohol”

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In the Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Ever Compassionate…

It is important to differentiate between “khamr” (intoxicants) and “alcohol”.*

The substance called “alcohol” is of three types:

1) That which is deadly, if you consume it you will die or become seriously ill.  This is considered “summ“ (poison) and it is permissible to buy, sell, transport, or use it, but not consume it.  You can use it when found in mouthwash, perfume, bug spray, etc., but not in foods or drinks.

2) That which intoxicates when consumed, a little of it or a lot, then it considered Khamr (intoxicant), and it is not permissible to buy, sell, transport, use, or consume.  The scholarly verdicts mentioned here and here refer to this category: khamr.

3) That which does not intoxicate no matter Continue reading →

Pork By-Products in Food, Medicine, or Cosmetics

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

The Permanent Committee of Scholars in Saudi Arabia was asked a question about foods, medicines, and cosmetics containing pork and pork by-products, like fat, oil, hair, or bones (crushed into powder).  They replied:

When a Muslim knows with certainty or near-certainty that pork, fat from the pig, or crushed pig bones are found in any type of food, medicine, toothpaste, or the likes, it is not permissible to eat, drink, or wipe it (on one’s body). And he is to leave whatever he is uncertain about, due to his statement (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace):

دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك

Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.

And through Allaah is success.  May Allaah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad, and that of his family and companions, and grant them all peace.

[Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Qu’ood
Member

[Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan
Member

[Shaykh] ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee
Vice Chairman

[Shaykh] ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn Baaz
Chairman

Source: Verdicts of the Permanent Committee (22/281).

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

The Islamic Ruling on Rent-to-Own Contracts

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In the Name of Allaah…

Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan mentions that the Council of Senior Scholars has studied the modern “Rent-to-Own” schemes, and they have ruled that they are impermissible transactions, due to the prohibition of two contracts in one.

Audio: http://www.safeshare.tv/w/maZtfNemwq

Video: http://www.safeshare.tv/w/xetfuzAwnZ (different)

Rent-to-own schemes may also include some so-called “installment plans” for automobiles and property, where legal ownership remains with the seller until the payments are complete, which is essentially a rent-to-own contract cleverly disguised as an installment plan.

As an important reminder, we live in times of widespread deception and corruption, so let every Muslim be extremely cautious in how he approaches complex business transactions.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

Q&A on Potential Dangers Found in Many Accounting Jobs

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A Muslim concerned about his income asks:

I am an accountant that presents the financial statements of my organization to my employers. The banks pays interests (riba) on the company’s funds (the company is involved in halal business) saved with the banks and in the periodic statements they (the bank) send to us (accountant and my employers) they show clearly the analysis of the transaction my organisation has done with them over the period.

In the normal accounting profession, we are supposed to report this interest (riba) as well as all other transactions in the financial statements to the company, and the financial statements will not be complete unless they are shown, and thus Continue reading →

Zakaat on Real Estate (Four Types)

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

The Permanent Committee for Research and Fatwaas, headed by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have Mercy on him), was asked about a vacant lot of land purchased three years ago – Is there zakaat due upon it?

Their official published answer was as follows: Continue reading →

Inside Connections: The “Waasitah” System in Some of the Muslim Countries

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

Muslims from the West may find difficulty in understanding and working under the systems of law in some of the Muslim countries, especially the “waasitah” system, wherein one relies on a person of status to act as a special connection, or intermediary, between himself and the authorities, to help him get a job, a visa for a relative, or any number of services or concessions.  Before taking a rash position on the illegality or corruption of such a system, Muslims should educate themselves about the topic.  Continue reading →