Fatwa ID: 06656
Answered by: Muftiyah Habiba Akhtar
Question:
I am starting an online business, is it a halal method of transaction? It works like this:
1) I find furniture items which are being advertised online for free
2) I advertise the item for a price of say £20 including free delivery to the customer who wants it (the items are often free because delivery is expensive)
3) the customer pays cash to the courier once the item is delivered to them by the courier
4) I take a percentage cut of the £20 sale from the courier for arranging the deal
Please confirm for me this is 100% halal.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Selling an item for a chosen price is correct as it is trading. You are selling for profit.
Allah SWT says:
“But Allaah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest”. (1)
So, you can sell the item at a price to a buyer.
As for your query regarding the process you buy and then sell to others, the following is the discussion.
You cannot trade when the commodity is non-existent or not in possession. (2)
Hence, the form of sales mentioned by yourself is invalid as the commodity is not in your possession when the sale is done.
In order for the sale to be valid, the form of Salam can be done.
Salam is the type of transaction where the sale is definite and not reclinable, the product marketed is available from the date of advertising to the date of payment, the duration for delivery must be known and its description must be clear without defect. (3)
Also, the payment has to be prior to the delivery of the item (4). This is contradicting what you’ve mentioned about the cash being handed over after delivery.
Thus, in response to your query, unless the above criteria aren’t fulfilled and the transaction isn’t according to Salam, the transaction is invalid. The payment must be taken prior to delivery.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Muftiyah Habiba Akhtar
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
(1)
(ٱلَّذِینَ یَأۡكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا یَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا یَقُومُ ٱلَّذِی یَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسِّۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡبَیۡعُ مِثۡلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَیۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ۚ فَمَن جَاۤءَهُۥ مَوۡعِظَةࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمۡرُهُۥۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَنۡ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِیهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ)
[Surah Al-Baqarah 275]
(2)
وَإِذَا عَرَفْت الْمَبِيعَ وَالثَّمَنَ فَنَقُولُ مِنْ حُكْمِ الْمَبِيعِ إذَا كَانَ مَنْقُولًا أَنْ لَا يَجُوزَ بَيْعُهُ قَبْلَ الْقَبْضِ
Fatawa Hindiyyah, Vol 3, Page 14, Darul Kutub Ilmiyyah
(3)
ولا يجوز السلم حتى يكون المسلم فيه موجودا من حين العقدإلى حين المحل ولا يصح السلم إلا مؤجلا، ولا يجوز إلا بأجل معلومولا يصح السلم عند أبي حنيفة رحمه الله إلا بسبع شرائط تذكر في العقد: جنس معلوم، ونوع معلوم، وصفة معلومة، ومقدار معلوم، وأجل معلوم، ومعرفة مقدار رأس المال إذا كان مما يتعلق العقد على مقداره، كالمكيل والموزون والمعدود، وتسمية المكان الذي يوافيه فيه إذا كان له حمل ومؤنة
(Quduri, Taha Publishers, Page 189)
(4)
ولا يصح السلم حتى يقبض رأس المال قبل أن يفارقه
(Quduri, Taha Publishers, Page 190)
