Fatwa ID: 06043

 

Answered by: Alimah Habiba Akhtar

 

Question:

 

Would it be permissible to buy an amazon mystery box? Is the jahalah overlooked?

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

 

In order for Bay’ / a financial or trading transaction to be complete and valid, there are a few conditions or criteria to be met.

 

One of these criteria is that the price cannot be absolute as long as the quantity or quality of the item/merchandise hasn’t been specified. (1)

 

This means that when the description of the item isn’t clear, such a transaction will not be valid. This will be an unseen and unknown item.

 

Therefore, in response to your query, the bay’ wouldn’t be valid as you are unaware of what the box consists of exactly. There may be satisfaction in the purchase and maybe not. The quality may be questionable for the price charged.

 

Consider the following:

 

• It is as if the purchase is a lucky draw. You may find something of your use and some not. This is similar to gambling. There is the luck factor involved.

 

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

 

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited the Gharar sale, and the Hasah sale.” (2)

 

The hadith above clearly mentions the prohibition of deceitful sales. Gharar refers to deceit and Hasah refers to coming to a contract based on pebbles and what it falls on.

 

Therefore, such transactions should be avoided and purchases should be made for those things necessary.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

 

1)

والأثمان المطلقة لا تصح عن الإشارة في العقد و إلا أن تكون معروفة القدر والصفة؛ لأن التسليم والتسلم واجب بالعقد، وهذه الجهالة مفضية إلى المنازعة، فيمتنع التسليم والتسلم، وكل جهالة هذه صفتها تمنع الجواز، هذا هو الأصل. قال: ويجوز البيع بثمن حال ومؤجل إذا كان الأجل معلوماً؛

Hidayah, Al Bushra, Vol 5, Page 8

 

 

2)

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ بَيْعِ الْغَرَرِ وَبَيْعِ الْحَصَاةِ

Jami Tirmidhi, 1230