Fatwa ID: 09369
Answered by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Question:
I live in the UK and need to rent a new place as a necessity, I also have a condition and can’t get just any apartment/house or anything too far from my family.
Most tenancy agreements include a clause stating that interest (e.g. 3% above the Bank of England base rate) may be charged if rent is paid late.
I don’t know how common this clause or if it’s even possible to avoid, I need to know from someone who knows the UK system if this is the norm or if it can be avoided, obviously I intend to pay rent on time and avoid any late payments.
Is it permissible to sign such a contract if the clause cannot realistically be removed?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In certain countries, it is very common for tenancy agreements to include a clause stating that interest may be charged on late rent. Since interest (Ribā) is prohibited in Islam, you should first try to avoid agreeing to such a clause by asking the landlord or agent if it can be removed, and by exploring any reasonable alternatives. [1] Consulting a knowledgeable local scholar or the local Muslim community may also be helpful.
However, if this clause is widespread, your housing need is genuine, and suitable alternatives without it are not realistically available or affordable (especially given your health condition and need to remain near family), then it is permissible to sign the contract out of necessity (Darūrah). [2] The clause is conditional and only triggered by late payment, which you intend to avoid. As long as you take reasonable steps to ensure your rent is always paid on time and do not delay payment, signing the agreement would be allowed in such circumstances. However, you must never fall into a situation that requires you to pay interest.
Mufti Taqi Usmani discusses his stance on credit cards and says:
But in my personal view as well as in the view of some other Scholars, if a card holder is confident that he will pay the bills within the specified period without fail he can avail of this credit card and should always be cautious to pay the bill promptly before any interest is due thereon. (Contemporary Fataawa, Mufti Taqi Uthmani, pg. 117)
By extension, if such contracts are widespread and unavoidable, and no feasible alternatives are found, we can apply the same ruling.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Abdurrahman Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
وَذَكَرَ الْإِمَامُ قَاضِي خَانْ الْعُقُودَ الَّتِي يَتَعَلَّقُ تَمَامُهَا بِالْقَبُولِ أَقْسَامٌ ثَلَاثَةٌ: قِسْمٌ يَبْطُلُ بِالشَّرْطِ الْفَاسِدِ وَجَهَالَةِ الْبَدَلِ وَهِيَ مُبَادَلَةُ الْمَالِ بِالْمَالِ كَالْبَيْعِ وَالْإِجَارَةِ وَالْقِسْمَةِ وَالصُّلْحِ عَنْ دَعْوَى الْمَالِ. وَقِسْمٌ لَا يَبْطُلُ بِالشَّرْطِ الْفَاسِدِ وَلَا جَهَالَةِ الْبَدَلِ وَهُوَ مُعَاوَضَةُ الْمَالِ بِمَا لَيْسَ بِمَالٍ كَالنِّكَاحِ وَالْخُلْعِ وَالصُّلْحِ عَنْ دَمِ عَمْدٍ. وَقِسْمٌ لَهُ شَبَهٌ بِالْبَيْعِ وَالنِّكَاحِ وَهُوَ الْكِتَابَةُ يُبْطِلُهَا جَهَالَةُ الْبَدَلِ وَلَا يُبْطِلُهَا الشَّرْطُ الْفَاسِدُ
وَفِي الْخُلَاصَةِ: الَّتِي تَبْطُلُ بِالشُّرُوطِ الْفَاسِدَةِ وَلَا يَصِحُّ تَعْلِيقُهَا بِالشَّرْطِ ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ: الْبَيْعُ، وَالْقِسْمَةُ، وَالْإِجَارَةُ، وَالْإِجَازَةُ، وَالرَّجْعَةُ، وَالصُّلْحُ عَنْ مَالٍ، وَالْإِبْرَاءُ عَنْ الدَّيْنِ، وَعَزْلُ الْوَكِيلِ فِي رِوَايَةِ شَرْحِ الطَّحَاوِيِّ، وَتَعْلِيقُ إيجَابِ الِاعْتِكَافِ بِالشُّرُوطِ، وَالْمُزَارَعَةُ، وَالْمُعَامَلَةُ، وَالْإِقْرَارُ، وَالْوَقْفُ فِي رِوَايَةٍ. وَمَا لَا يَبْطُلُ بِالشُّرُوطِ الْفَاسِدَةِ سِتَّةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ: الطَّلَاقُ، وَالْخُلْعُ، وَلَوْ بِغَيْرِ مَالٍ، وَالْعِتْقُ بِمَالٍ وَبِلَا مَالٍ، وَالرَّهْنُ، وَالْقَرْضُ، وَالْهِبَةُ، وَالصَّدَقَةُ، وَالْوِصَايَةُ، وَالشَّرِكَةُ، وَالْمُضَارَبَةُ، وَالْقَضَاءُ، وَالْإِمَارَةُ، وَالتَّحْكِيمُ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ خِلَافًا لِأَبِي يُوسُفَ، وَالْكَفَالَةُ، وَالْحَوَالَةُ، وَالْوَكَالَةُ، وَالْإِقَالَةُ، وَالنَّسَبُ، وَالْكِتَابَةُ، وَإِذْنُ الْعَبْدِ، وَدَعْوَةُ الْوَلَدِ، وَالصُّلْحُ عَنْ دَمِ الْعَمْدِ، وَالْجِرَاحَةُ الَّتِي فِيهَا الْقِصَاصُ حَالًّا وَمُؤَجَّلًا، وَجِنَايَةُ الْغَصْبِ، الْوَدِيعَةُ، وَالْعَارِيَّةُ إذَا ضَمِنَهَا رَجُلٌ وَشَرَطَ فِيهَا حَوَالَةً أَوْ كَفَالَةً، وَعَقْدُ الذِّمَّةِ، وَتَعْلِيقُ الرَّدِّ بِالْعَيْبِ، وَتَعْلِيقُ الرَّدِّ بِخِيَارِ الشَّرْطِ، وَعَزْلُ الْقَاضِي
Al-Fath Al-Qadeer, vol. 6, pg. 447, Maṭba’ah Mustafā Al-Bābī Al-Halabī
[2]
الضَّرُورَاتُ تُبِيحُ الْمَحْظُورَاتِ
Al-Ashbāh wa al-Naẓāʾir, pg. 73, Dār Al-Kutub Al’Ilmiyyah