Fatwa ID: 09444
Answered by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Question:
I have read your answer regarding legal insurance, but there is something I do not understand. Namely, if legal insurance or legal protection is not permitted due to the element of uncertainty (gharar), how then is it allowed to pay for physical protection of a person or property? There is also the same element of uncertainty there, since we do not know whether we will ever actually need it, and if we do, whether they will truly be able to protect us — and yet it is permitted. An example of this is the payment of jizya. So why then is it not allowed to pay for legal protection, when we know that in today’s time it is equally, if not more, important than physical protection?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The distinction between legal insurance (or legal protection insurance) and payments for physical protection (such as jizya or hiring security) depends on the nature of the contract, the exchanges on both sides, the presence of gharar (uncertainty), and whether the objectives and terms of the contract are recognized in the Shariah.
Physical Protection
Physical protection includes measures that prevent or deter harm before it happens by physically protecting people or property. When paying for physical protection, the contract is for a clear, present, and ongoing service. For example, hiring a guard is a straightforward ijarah (service contract). [1] You pay for the guard’s time and effort, regardless of whether an attack occurs. The service is delivered continuously, and the benefit (the guard’s presence and surveillance) is received regardless of if harm occurs or not. There is no gharar in the service itself, as the objective of the contract (the guard’s presence and protection duties) is clearly defined, certain, and delivered.
Jizya
Jizya is a tax paid by non-Muslims in an Islamic state in exchange for protection of life and property and exemption from military service. [2] The payment is not for a contingent event (such as being attacked), but for the ongoing guarantee of safety and rights under the state’s protection. The contract terms are clear, and the benefits are delivered continuously and received. The payment is in exchange of tangible service and not a coverage of unpredictable loss. As long as jizya is paid, protection is provided, and the terms are not subject to the same uncertainty as insurance contracts.
Similar to physical protection, jizya is due at the start of the year and is a fixed amount, not dependent on whether harm actually occurs. [3] The protection is a right to service (eg., surveillance of guards, defense from enemies) in exchange for the payment, not a compensation for a specific loss.
Legal Insurance
Legal insurance typically involves paying a premium for a promise of future legal assistance or coverage, which may or may not be needed, and the extent of benefit is unknown. This introduces significant gharar, as the outcome is highly uncertain and the contract is not for a tangible, immediate service but for a contingent benefit. [6]
In conventional legal insurance, the contract is typically structured where the insured pays a premium in exchange for a promise of future legal “protection” or coverage of legal costs. Insurance covers compensation after a loss and provides no continued benefits or services. This is akin to gambling, and gharar arises because neither party knows if, when, or to what extent the service will be needed or provided and what benefits would be received. [4, 5] The payout is contingent on uncertain future events, and the amount or even the occurrence of the benefit is unknown at the time of contract. This type of uncertainty (gharar) is prohibited as it can lead to disputes and injustice. [4, 5] This is a classic scenario of Ribā as it is “Wealth for which there is no corresponding countervalue in an exchange of wealth for wealth, and this is prohibited.” [4]
In summary, the insured pays a premium and receives benefits only when something occurs. There is no continuously delivered service, and the nature of received benefits are unclear during the contract period. If nothing happens, then no benefits are received and the money was exchanged for nothing which is Haram. [4] If something does happen, then oftentimes the benefits are not proportional to the paid premiums and may exceed payments. Because these benefits are unclear, this is also Haram. [6]
Difference
Physical protection includes measures that prevent or deter harm before it happens by physically protecting people or property. Its terms and responsibilities are fixed, and its benefits delivered regardless of situation. Whether something happens or not, the means of protection (guards, equipment, etc.) will still be there and continue to provide benefit during the contract period.
Legal insurance is a financial and legal service that helps after a legal problem arises by covering legal costs and providing legal support. It is not a straightforward ijarah because the service (legal defense) is only provided if a legal issue arises. The uncertainty is twofold, whether an event will occur, and what the cost or extent of service will be. This is a form of gharar and prohibited as it is not a payment for a present, ongoing, or guaranteed service, but for a potential future benefit (coverage of loss) that may never materialize.
In contrast, payments for physical protection (such as hiring a guard or paying jizya) are direct compensation for a service that is provided continuously for a defined period, regardless of whether an incident occurs. The service (presence of a guard, or protection by the state) is delivered, and the contract is for the ongoing provision of that service (which is used to compensate guards and pay for equipment), not for a contingent and unpredictable benefit.
Similarly, jizya is a payment for the guarantee of safety and protection under the state, not for a contingent event, but for the ongoing status of protection and exemption from military service. It is used to cover governmental costs involved in maintaining an army to protect the state. The exchanges on both sides are clearly defined and delivered, regardless of incident.
Summary
Physical security reduces the chance of incidents. Legal insurance mitigates the financial/legal impact if something goes wrong. In physical protection, benefits are tangible and delivered, regardless of incident. In financial protection, benefits are unclear and intangible and are heavily dependent on risk. In legal insurance, you are gambling with risk and exchanging money with money which is Haram. In physical protection, you exchange money for the clearly defined, tangible service and benefits, usually by leasing security equipment or the security guard’s time.
Legal insurance is not a direct service but a promise to cover costs or provide assistance if a legal issue arises. The insurer may never provide any service if no legal issue occurs or may provide a service of indeterminate value. This is essentially gharar as the buyer does not know what, if anything, they will receive, and the seller does not know what they will have to provide. In contrast, hiring a guard or paying jizya is a contract for a known, ongoing service, not a contingent benefit. The uncertainty is much less, as the service is delivered regardless of incidents.
The Shariah permits contracts for services where the benefit is clear and present, even if the outcome (such as whether an attack occurs) is uncertain, because the service itself (protection, presence of a guard) is delivered. [1] This is not the case with insurance, where the benefit is only delivered if a specific event occurs, and the amount or nature of the benefit is unknown. [6, 7, 8]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
إجَارَةُ النَّفْسِ) هَذَا مَا اسْتَأْجَرَ فُلَانٌ الْفُلَانِيُّ مِنْ فُلَانٍ الْفُلَانِيِّ اسْتَأْجَرَ نَفْسَهُ سَنَةً وَاحِدَةً كَامِلَةً أَوَّلُهَا غُرَّةُ شَهْرِ كَذَا وَآخِرُهَا سَلْخُ شَهْرِ كَذَا بِكَذَا دِرْهَمًا عَلَى أَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلَهُ هَذَا الْمُسْتَأْجِرُ بِجَمِيعِ مَا يَتَّفِقُ لَهُ مِنْ الْأَعْمَالِ فِي هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ أَيَّ عَمَلٍ شَاءَ وَلَا امْتِنَاعَ لَهُ عَمَّا يَأْمُرُهُ وَإِنَّ هَذَا الْأَجِيرَ سَلَّمَ نَفْسَهُ إلَيْهِ بِحُكْمِ هَذَا الْعَقْدِ حَتَّى يَسْتَعْمِلَهُ أَيَّ عَمَلٍ شَاءَ وَيُوَفِّيَهُ أَجْرَ كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَسْتَعْمِلُهُ فِيهِ عِنْدَ مُضِيِّهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ اسْتَأْجَرَهُ لِنَوْعٍ خَاصٍّ مِنْ الْعَمَلِ وَالْحِرْفَةِ كَتَبْتَ عَلَى أَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلَهُ فِي عَمَلِ الْخِيَاطَةِ فِي أَنْوَاعِ الثِّيَابِ كُلِّهَا وَجَمِيعِ مَا يُخَاطُ عَلَى مَا رَأَى وَأَحَبَّ
اسْتَأْجَرَهُ عَلَى رَعْيِهِ كَذَا كَذَا مِنْ الْإِبِلِ بِأَعْيَانِهَا) يَصِفُهَا وَيُفَصِّلُ إذَا اخْتَلَفَتْ كَذَا شَهْرًا عَلَى أَنْ يَرْعَاهَا وَيَحْفَظَهَا وَيَسْقِيَهَا وَيُورِدَهَا وَيُصْدِرَهَا إلَى أَعْطَانِهَا وَيُدَاوِيَ جَرْبَاهَا وَيَحْلِبَ ذَوَاتِ الدَّرِّ مِنْهَا فِي الْأَوْقَاتِ الَّتِي تُحْلَبُ أَمْثَالُهَا فِيهَا وَقَصْرَ ضُرُوعِهَا بَعْدَ حَلْبِهَا وَيَقُومَ عَلَيْهَا وَعَلَى فِصْلَانِهَا فِي جَمِيعِ مَصَالِحِهَا الَّتِي يُحْتَاجُ إلَيْهَا وَيَطْلُبَ ضَالَّتَهَا بِكَذَا دِرْهَمًا إلَى آخِرِهِ، وَيُتِمُّ الْكِتَابَ وَيُبَيِّنُ التَّأْجِيلَ وَالتَّعْجِيلَ فِي الْأُجْرَةِ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ الْإِبِلُ بِغَيْرِ أَعْيَانِهَا بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ وَيَكُونُ فِي هَذَا أَجِيرَ وَحْدٍ فَلَا يَمْلِكُ أَنْ يُؤَاجِرَ نَفْسَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ وَلَا ضَمَانَ عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا ضَاعَ مِنْهَا بِالْإِجْمَاعِ وَفِي الْمُعَيَّنَةِ هُوَ أَجِيرٌ مُشْتَرَكٌ فَلَهُ أَنْ يُؤَاجِرَ نَفْسَهُ لِرَعْيِ غَيْرِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهِ وَلَا يَضْمَنُ مَا ضَاعَ مِنْهَا عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – خِلَافًا لَهُمَا.
(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 6, pg. 311, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
[2]
الْجِزْيَةِ وَهِيَ اسْمٌ لِمَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ كَذَا فِي النِّهَايَةِ إنَّمَا تَجِبُ عَلَى الْحُرِّ الْبَالِغِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقِتَالِ الْعَاقِلِ الْمُحْتَرِفِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُحْسِنْ حِرْفَتَهُ كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِيَّةِ، وَهِيَ عَلَى ضَرْبَيْنِ: جِزْيَةٌ تُوضَعُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِصُلْحٍ وَتَرَاضٍ، فَتَتَقَدَّرُ بِحَسَبِ مَا يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الِاتِّفَاقُ كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي فَلَا يُزَادُ عَلَيْهَا، وَلَا يُنْقَصُ مِنْهَا كَذَا فِي النَّهْرِ الْفَائِقِ وَجِزْيَةٌ يَبْتَدِئُ الْإِمَامُ وَضْعَهَا إذَا غَلَبَ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ، وَأَقَرَّهُمْ عَلَى أَمْلَاكِهِمْ كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي فَهَذِهِ مُقَدَّرَةٌ بِقَدْرٍ مَعْلُومٍ شَاءُوا، أَوْ أَبَوْا رَضُوا، أَوْ لَمْ يَرْضَوْا. …
الجزية تجب عندنا في ابتداء الحول، وهي على أهل الكتاب سواء كانوا من العرب، أو من العجم، أو المجوس وعبدة الأوثان من العجم كذا في الكافي.
(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyyah, vol. 2, pg. 244, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
[3]
وَأَمَّا) وَقْتُ الْوُجُوبِ فَأَوَّلُ السَّنَةِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا تَجِبُ لِحَقْنِ الدَّمِ فِي الْمُسْتَقْبَلِ، فَلَا تُؤَخَّرُ إلَى آخِرِ السَّنَةِ، وَلَكِنْ تُؤْخَذُ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ مِنْ الْفَقِيرِ دِرْهَمٌ، وَمِنْ الْمُتَوَسِّطِ دِرْهَمَانِ، وَمِنْ الْغَنِيِّ أَرْبَعَةُ دَرَاهِمَ.
(Badāi’ Al-Sanāi’ Fī Tartīb Al-Sharāi’, vol. 7, pg. 111, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)
[4]
الْفَصْلُ السَّادِسُ فِي تَفْسِيرِ الرِّبَا وَأَحْكَامِهِ) وَهُوَ فِي الشَّرْعِ عِبَارَةٌ عَنْ فَضْلِ مَالٍ لَا يُقَابِلُهُ عِوَضٌ فِي مُعَاوَضَةِ مَالٍ بِمَالٍ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ
(Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindiyya, vol. 3, pg. 117, Al-Maṭba’ah Al-Kubrā Al-Amīriyyah)
[5]
نَعَمْ هَذَا يُنَاسِبُ تَعْرِيفَ الْكَنْزِ بِقَوْلِهِ فَضْلُ مَالٍ بِلَا عِوَضٍ فِي مُعَاوَضَةِ مَالٍ بِمَالٍ
(Radd Al-Muhtār, vol. 5, pg. 168, Darul Fikr Beirut)
[6]
وَمِنْهَا) الْخُلُوُّ عَنْ احْتِمَالِ الرِّبَا، فَلَا تَجُوزُ الْمُجَازَفَةُ فِي أَمْوَالِ الرِّبَا بَعْضُهَا بِبَعْضٍ؛ لِأَنَّ حَقِيقَةَ الرِّبَا كَمَا هِيَ مُفْسِدَةٌ لِلْعَقْدِ فَاحْتِمَالُ الرِّبَا مُفْسِدٌ لَهُ أَيْضًا، لِقَوْلِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ﵁: مَا اجْتَمَعَ الْحَلَالُ وَالْحَرَامُ فِي شَيْءٍ إلَّا وَقَدْ غَلَبَ الْحَرَامُ الْحَلَالَ وَالْأَصْلُ فِيهِ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَا جَازَتْ فِيهِ الْمُفَاضَلَةُ جَازَ فِيهِ الْمُجَازَفَةُ، وَمَا لَا فَلَا؛ لِأَنَّ التَّمَاثُلَ وَالْخُلُوَّ عَنْ الرِّبَا فِيمَا يَجْرِي فِيهِ الرِّبَا لَمَّا كَانَ شَرْطَ الصِّحَّةِ فَلَا يُعْلَمُ تَحْقِيقُ الْمُمَاثَلَةِ بِالْمُجَازَفَةِ، فَيَقَعُ الشَّكُّ فِي وُجُودِ شَرْطِ الصِّحَّةِ، فَلَا تَثْبُتُ الصِّحَّةُ عَلَى الْأَصْلِ الْمَعْهُودِ فِي الْحُكْمِ الْمُعَلَّقِ عَلَى شَرْطٍ إذَا وَقَعَ الشَّكُّ فِي وُجُودِ شَرْطِهِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَثْبُتُ؛ لِأَنَّ غَيْرَ الثَّابِتِ بِيَقِينٍ لَا يَثْبُتُ بِالشَّكِّ، كَمَا أَنَّ الثَّابِتَ بِيَقِينٍ لَا يَزُولُ بِالشَّكِّ.
(Badāi’ Al-Sanāi’ Fī Tartīb Al-Sharāi’, vol. 5, pg. 193, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)
[7]
وَفَرَّعَ فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ عَلَى جَهَالَةِ الْمَبِيعِ الْمُفْسِدَةِ مَا لَوْ قَالَ بِعْت مِنْك جَمِيعَ مَا لِي فِي هَذِهِ الدَّارِ مِنْ الرَّقِيقِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالثِّيَابِ وَالْمُشْتَرِي لَا يَعْلَمُ مَا فِيهَا كَانَ فَاسِدًا؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَبِيعَ مَجْهُولٌ، وَلَوْ جَازَ هَذَا لَجَازَ إذَا بَاعَ مَا فِي هَذِهِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَوْ فِي هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ وَلَجَازَ إذَا بَاعَ مَا فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَلَوْ قَالَ بِعْت مِنْك جَمِيعَ مَا لِي فِي هَذَا الْبَيْتِ بِكَذَا جَازَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ الْمُشْتَرِي بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْجَهَالَةَ فِي الْبَيْتِ يَسِيرَةٌ وَفِيمَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ الدَّارِ وَغَيْرِهَا كَثِيرَةٌ فَإِذَا جَازَ فِي الْبَيْتِ جَازَ فِي الصُّنْدُوقِ وَالْجَوَالِقِ اهـ.
(Al-Bahr Ar-Rāiq, vol. 5, pg. 295, Dār Al-Kitāb Al-Islāmī)
[8]
وَأَمَّا جَهَالَةُ الثَّمَنِ فَمَانِعَةٌ أَيْضًا كَمَا إذَا بَاعَ شَيْئًا بِقِيمَتِهِ أَوْ بِحُكْمِ الْمُشْتَرِي أَوْ فُلَانٍ وَبِعْتُك هَذَا بِقَفِيزِ حِنْطَةٍ أَوْ بِقَفِيزَيْ شَعِيرٍ، وَهَذَا بِأَلْفٍ إلَى سَنَةٍ أَوْ بِأَلْفٍ وَخَمْسِمِائَةٍ إلَى سَنَتَيْنِ أَوْ بَاعَ شَيْئًا بِرِبْحِ ده يازده، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ الْمُشْتَرِي رَأْسَ الْمَالِ حَتَّى افْتَرَقَا وَبِيعَ الشَّيْءُ بِرَقْمِهِ أَوْ بِرَأْسِ مَالِهِ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ الْمُشْتَرِي كَذَلِكَ، كَذَا فِي الْبَدَائِعِ وَالرَّقْمُ بِسُكُونِ الْقَافِ …
(قَوْلُهُ وَأَمَّا جَهَالَةُ الثَّمَنِ فَمَانِعَةٌ) قَالَ الرَّمْلِيُّ يَعْنِي مَانِعَةً مِنْ الْجَوَازِ، وَهَلْ تُفِيدُ الْمِلْكَ أَقُولُ: سَيَأْتِي فِي أَحْكَامِ الْبَيْعِ الْفَاسِدِ أَنَّهُ مَعَ نَفْيِ الثَّمَنِ بَاطِلٌ وَمَعَ السُّكُوتِ عَنْهُ فَاسِدٌ وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ الْجَهَالَةَ تُوجِبُ الْفَسَادَ لَا الْبُطْلَانَ تَأَمَّلْ اهـ.
(Al-Bahr Ar-Rāiq, vol. 5, pg. 296, Dār Al-Kitāb Al-Islāmī)
[9]
وَمِنْهَا) شَرْطٌ لَا يَقْتَضِيهِ الْعَقْدُ وَفِيهِ مَنْفَعَةٌ لِلْبَائِعِ أَوْ لِلْمُشْتَرِي أَوْ لِلْمَبِيعِ إنْ كَانَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ كَالرَّقِيقِ وَلَيْسَ بِمُلَائِمٍ لِلْعَقْدِ وَلَا مِمَّا جَرَى بِهِ التَّعَامُلُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ نَحْوَ مَا إذَا بَاعَ دَارًا عَلَى أَنْ يَسْكُنَهَا الْبَائِعُ شَهْرًا ثُمَّ يُسَلِّمَهَا إلَيْهِ أَوْ أَرْضًا عَلَى أَنْ يَزْرَعَهَا سَنَةً أَوْ دَابَّةً عَلَى أَنْ يَرْكَبَهَا شَهْرًا أَوْ ثَوْبًا عَلَى أَنْ يَلْبَسَهُ أُسْبُوعًا أَوْ عَلَى أَنْ يُقْرِضَهُ الْمُشْتَرِي قَرْضًا أَوْ عَلَى أَنْ يَهَبَ لَهُ هِبَةً أَوْ يُزَوِّجَ ابْنَتَهُ مِنْهُ أَوْ يَبِيعَ مِنْهُ كَذَا وَنَحْوَ ذَلِكَ أَوْ اشْتَرَى ثَوْبًا عَلَى أَنْ يَخِيطَهُ الْبَائِعُ قَمِيصًا أَوْ حِنْطَةً عَلَى أَنْ يَطْحَنَهَا أَوْ ثَمَرَةً عَلَى أَنْ يَجُذَّهَا أَوْ رَبْطَةً قَائِمَةً عَلَى الْأَرْضِ عَلَى أَنْ يَجُذَّهَا أَوْ شَيْئًا لَهُ حَمْلٌ وَمُؤْنَةٌ عَلَى أَنْ يَحْمِلَهُ الْبَائِعُ إلَى مَنْزِلِهِ وَنَحْوَ ذَلِكَ؛ فَالْبَيْعُ فِي هَذَا كُلِّهِ فَاسِدٌ؛ لِأَنَّ زِيَادَةَ مَنْفَعَةٍ مَشْرُوطَةٍ فِي الْبَيْعِ تَكُونُ رِبًا لِأَنَّهَا زِيَادَةٌ لَا يُقَابِلُهَا عِوَضٌ فِي عَقْدِ الْبَيْعِ وَهُوَ تَفْسِيرُ الرِّبَا.
(Badāi’ Al-Sanāi’ Fī Tartīb Al-Sharāi’, vol. 5, pg. 169, Dār Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmiyyah)