Fatwa ID: 01546

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

I would like to know if I buy something (it could be a service or a product) from a person who is selling the same service or product to others at a higher cost but sells me on a discounted rate (for what ever reason, relation, friendship etc.) with a promise that this price is only for me and I will not mention this discounted price to anybody as otherwise everybody will demand the same price and he will suffer a loss. Now if somebody asks me that how much I have paid for this service or product, if I tell the discounted price I have paid and not the general advertised price then I am not only breaking a promise I made but the person could suffer loss as others will demand same. If I keep the promise and tell the general advertised price then in a way I am lying. Please guide according to Shariah what should I do in this case. My feelings and inner self is inclined towards keeping the promise in this case.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

You use deliberate ambiguity or Tareedh. An example of this can be found in the following hadith: The Prophet of Allah said: “If one of you makes something (passes wind) in Salah, he should hold his nose (as though it is bleeding) and leave (the Salah)” (Sunan Abi Dawud & Sunan Ibn Majah)

Allamah Tibi has said: “This is not a lie, rather it is a kind of ambiguity. This concession is granted so that the Shaitan will not trick him into staying put because of feeling embarrassed in front of people. (Mirqatul Mafateeh p.18 v.3) 

In your situation if you say something on the lines of “I brought it for a decent or good price” then you would not be lying and at the same time you will not be breaking a promise.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.