Fatwa ID: 05058

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question

I am working as a travel agent for my company whereby I have to contact another travel agency who books airline tickets for our employees.

In order to pay off their dues, we provide them with a cheque with a week-long clearing.

Now we want to purchase tickets from them on one month’s credit. But they are saying that they charge extra on a month’s credit like if the actual ticket fare is PKR 25, 500/- if it is purchased on credit on a month’s time then they will charge around PKR 28,000/- for the same ticket.

Is this extra money an interest amount for them or is it absolutely correct to sell something in cash on an exact amount and on credit with an extra amount?

Will it make my job Haraam as well as I am playing a central role between two parties i.e. travel agency & my company, will my earning be Halaal though I have other responsibilities as well apart from above which I think are purely Halaal?

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

Answer

Saaiduna Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrates that the Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam forbade contracting two transactions in one transaction.” (Sunan Tirmizi p.233 v.1)

Some scholars have interpreted the aforementioned hadith to a situation where the price of the item is unclear. For example, when one says: I sell you this book for ten pounds if the payment is in cash, and for twenty if the payment is deferred, and the buyer just says “I have accepted” without making it clear which transaction he has accepted, then this will be impermissible. However, if the buyer specifies one of the transactions then there is nothing wrong with that.” (Taqrir Tirmizi p.102 v.1)

Regarding your question, if at the time of the agreement, the seller fixed a specific price for the delay in payment and this fixed price does not increase if he defaults on the payment and the buyer agrees to this before he leaves the gathering, then this would be permissible and the subsequent income you are gaining will be lawful.

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham