Fatwa ID: 08256

Answered by Alimah Humairah Badshah

Question:

I ordered a food deal, and there were some missing and some incorrect items, I complained and they refunded the full amount, even though some of the items were sent. I said that its enough to send just the refund for the missed items/wrong items but they send they can’t amend the refund as its done by the system (if I remember correctly), it could also be because the deal itself is considered one item in the bills, so in these cases, when food companies/apps refund the total amount when there is something wrong with the order, can I keep the money? I dont think i can return it as its ordered from a third party app

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

If one has acquired a sum of money which is not within their right, it is first necessary to attempt to return the money to its owner. Therefore, in the case of a restaurant refund one should contact the restaurant. In the situation where the restaurant says they do not require a return, they are happy to give the full amount, or likewise, one can consider the excess money a gift and it would be fine to keep it.

However, if one is truly unable to contact the restaurant and offer a return then it would be necessary to donate the money to charity instead.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Humairah Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

يَتَصَدَّقُوا بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ سَبِيلَ الْكَسْبِ الْخَبِيثِ التَّصَدُّقُ إذَا تَعَذَّرَ الرَّدُّ

Kitab Al-Bahr Al-Raa’iq (Daar Al-Kutub Al-Islaamiyyah, https://shamela.ws) v.8 p.229

وَأَمَّا الْأَلْفَاظُ الَّتِي تَقَعُ بِهَا الْهِبَةُ فَأَنْوَاعٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ: نَوْعٌ تَقَعُ بِهِ الْهِبَةُ وَضْعًا، وَنَوْعٌ تَقَعُ بِهِ الْهِبَةُ كِنَايَةً وَعُرْفًا، وَنَوْعٌ يَحْتَمِلُ الْهِبَةَ وَالْعَارِيَّةَ مُسْتَوِيًا. أَمَّا الْأَوَّلُ فَكَقَوْلِهِ: وَهَبْتُ هَذَا الشَّيْءَ لَكَ، أَوْ مَلَّكْتُهُ لَكَ، أَوْ جَعَلْتُهُ لَكَ، أَوْ هَذَا لَكَ، أَوْ أَعْطَيْتُكَ، أَوْ نَحَلْتُكَ هَذَا، فَهَذَا كُلُّهُ هِبَةٌ، وَأَمَّا الثَّانِي فَكَقَوْلِهِ: كَسَوْتُكَ هَذَا الثَّوْبَ، أَوْ أَعْمَرْتُكَ هَذِهِ الدَّارَ فَهُوَ هِبَةٌ، كَذَا لَوْ قَالَ: هَذِهِ الدَّارُ لَكَ عُمُرِي، أَوْ عُمُرَكَ، أَوْ حَيَاتِي أَوْ حَيَاتَكَ، فَإِذَا مِتَّ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ عَلَيَّ، جَازَتْ الْهِبَةُ وَبَطَلَ الشَّرْطُ، وَأَمَّا الثَّالِثُ فَكَقَوْلِهِ: هَذِهِ الدَّارُ لَكَ رُقْبَى أَوْ لَكَ حَبْسٌ، وَدَفَعَهَا إلَيْهِ فَهِيَ عَارِيَّةٌ عِنْدَهُمَا وَعِنْدَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – هِيَ هِبَةٌ، كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ

Al-Fataawa Al-Hindiyyah (Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.4 p.375