Fiqh of renting out a property

What is the Shariah ruling for a Muslim to hire his property to a non-Muslim in the following situations:

• For residential purposes. A devout Christian or Hindu will pray in the house thereby committing kufr and shirk.

• General Purposes

• Pick and Pay, Checkers, Spar etc. These business houses also sell haram meat for example pork and meat not slaughtered according to Shari rights of Zabah as well. Alcoholic beverages are also sold.

• Bank. It is well known that a bank deals in interest and other non-Shariah compliant deals.

• Bar. Intoxicants will be sold and the rentals could be from the proceeds of those sales.

• At times, a shopping mall is for sale and a Muslim wishes to buy the mall. However the existing tenants are a bank, haram food oulet etc. Can a Muslim buy such a shopping mall knowing that he will be bound by the lease agreement with such tenants.

• A group of Muslims businessmen wish to put up a mall but they are required by law to have a bank and a food outlet as their tenants. It is not easy to turn down such tenants who normally pay a good rental especially during an economic crisis.

We understand that non-Muslims are not bound by Shariah Laws. Similarly, Muslims are permitted to deal with non-Muslims. What is the Shariah ruling on all these issues? Could you explain to us the broad guidelines on these issues.

Your  advise and observation will also be appreciated.

Answer

Assalāmu `alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabrakatuh,

The Fuqaha have considered the different situations of Muslims dealing with non-Muslims and accordingly issued decrees based on the principles that govern such issues. For example in Kufa Muslims interacted with non-Muslims and used to do dealings with them. The issue of a Muslim hiring his property to a non-Muslim selling wine is discussed. This analogy will be the core of our discussion

According to Imam Abu Hanīfa ramatullahi alayh, it is permissible for a Muslim to hire his property to a non-Muslim who sells wine. In contrast to this view, the view of Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad rahmatullah alayhima, the two famous students of Imam Abu Hanifa rahmatullah alayh is that it is not permissible. This is the view of the other three schools of thought.

إذا استأجر الذمي من المسلم بيتا ليبيع فيه الخمر جاز عند أبي حنيفة رحمه الله تعالى خلافا لهما ، كذا في المضمرات

( الفتاوى الهندية: 4/449، مكتبة رشيدية )

The ideal ruling will be that it is not permissible for a Muslim to hire his property to a non-Muslim to sell wine as this is “اعانة على المعصية”.

Allah Ta’ala says,

وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ

And do not assist in sin
(Qur’an 5:2)

However, in view of the many challenges a Muslim faces in the economic world, the prudence of the view of Imam Abu Hanīfa rahmatullah alayhi is clearly demonstrated. According to Imam Abu Hanifa rahmatullah alayh it is permissible for a Muslim to hire his property to a non-Muslim who sells liquor – the rentals received will be halal.

The rationale behind this ruling is that the landlord has hired the usufruct of his property to the non-Muslim and receiving a benefit in lieu of the usufruct. He does not have anything to do with the activity of the tenant. The activities of the tenant are independent of the landlord. He is solely responsible for what he does.

في الدر المختار: ( و ) جاز ( إجارة بيت بسواد الكوفة ) أي قراها ( لا بغيرها على الأصح ) وأما الأمصار وقرى غير الكوفة فلا يمكنون لظهور شعار الإسلام فيها ، وخص سواد الكوفة لأن غالب أهلها أهل الذمة ( ليتخذ بيت نار أو كنيسة أو بيعة أو يباع فيه الخمر ) وقالا لا ينبغي ذلك لأنه إعانة على المعصية وبه قالت الثلاثة ، زيلعي

وقال ابن عابدين رحمه الله: ( قوله وجاز إجارة بيت إلخ ) هذا عنده أيضا لأن الإجارة على منفعة البيت ، ولهذا يجب الأجر بمجرد التسليم ، ولا معصية فيه وإنما المعصية بفعل المستأجر وهو مختار فينقطع نسبيته عنه ، فصار كبيع الجارية ممن لا يستبرئها أو يأتيها من دبر وبيع الغلام من لوطي والدليل عليه أنه لو آجره للسكنى جاز وهو لا بد له من عبادته فيه ا هـ زيلعي وعيني ومثله في النهاية والكفاية

( رد المحتار: 6/392، سعيد )

وفي تكملة البحر الرائق: قال رحمه الله: ( وإجارة بيت ليتخذ بيت نار أو بيعة أو كنيسة أو يباع فيه خمر بالسواد ) يعني جاز إجارة البيت لكافر ليتخذ معبدا أو بيت نار للمجوس أو يباع فيه خمر في السواد وهذا قول الإمام وقالا : يكره كل ذلك لقوله تعالى { وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان } وله أن الإجارة على منفعة البيت ولهذا تجب الأجرة بمجرد التسليم ولا معصية فيه وإنما المعصية بفعل المستأجر وهو مختار فيه فقطع نسبة ذلك إلى المؤجر وصار كبيع الجارية لمن لا يستبرئها أو يأتيها في دبرها أو بيع الغلام ممن يلوط به والدليل عليه أنه لو أجره للسكنى جاز ولا بد فيه من عبادته وإنما قيده بالسواد ؛ لأنهم لا يمكنون من ذلك في الأمصار ولا يمكنون من إظهار بيع الخمر والخنزير في الأمصار لظهور شعائر الإسلام فلا يعارض بظهور شعائر الكفر قالوا في هذا سواد الكوفة ؛ لأن غالب أهلها أهل ذمة ، وأما في غيرها فيها شعائر الإسلام ظاهرة فلا يمكنون فيها في الأصح

( تكملة البحر الرائق: 8/202، سعيد )

Accordingly, a Muslim can hire his property to non-Muslim business, like Pick & Pay, a non-Muslim food outlet, a Bank etc.

When we research the views of our Akabireen on this issue, we observe that they also have considered the view of Imam Abu Hanifa rahmatullah alayh and created a leeway for following his view.

Hereunder are some fatawa:

(Fatawa Mahmudiya: 25/146-147, Maktaba Mahmudiya)

Summarized translation:

Question:

What is the ruling on renting out property to a bank? Note that there are two types of banks:

1) a bank in which most transactions are interest based, although other permissible transactions also take place in it.

2) a bank in which most transactions that take place are permissible, although some interest based transactions also take place in it.

Answer:

According to Imam Abu Hanifa (R.A.) renting out the property is permissible. What the tenant uses the property for is his act (and responsibility, not the landlord’s). According to the Sahibain (Imam Abu Yusuf and Imam Muhammad), renting out one’s property for an impermissible act is makrooh and impermissible. If the act is mixed (i.e. the tenant will conduct both halal and haram activities in the property), then the majority will be taken into consideration (i.e. if the majority of the tenant’s activities will be permissible then renting out the property to him will be permissible and if the majority of the tenant’s activities will be impermissible then renting out the property to him will be impermissible). Therefore, renting out the property to the second type of bank (i.e. in which most transactions are permissible) is permissible unanimously. And renting out the property to the first type of bank (i.e. in which most transactions are impermissible) is permissible according to Imam Abu Hanifa – and this view is awsa’ (more accommodating) – whereas according to the Sahibain it is makrooh and impermissible – and this view is awra’ (more precautionary).

(Imdaadul Ahkaam: 3/534-535, Maktaba Darul Ulum Karachi)

In the question above, Hazrat Maulana Zafar Ahmed sahib was asked about giving one’s property on rent for liquor brewery. The answer that Hazrat Maulana Zafar Ahmed sahib gave was that if the majority of the inhabitants of the locality are Muslims then doing so is not permissible unanimously. And if the majority of the inhabitants of the locality are non-Muslims then it is permissible according to Imam Abu Hanifa and not permissible according to the Sahibain and the other three Imams.

(Azizul Fatawa: pg 637-638, Darul Isha’at)

In the question above, Hazrat Mufti Azizur Rahman sahib was asked about giving one’s car on rent for transporting liquor and for transporting Hindu people to a temple. Mufti Azizur Rahman sahib responded by saying that the view of Imam Abu Hanifa in these matters is that of permissibility, whereas the view of the Sahibain is that of impermissibility.

It is clear from the fatawa of the three quoted great personalities that they considered the harsh economic challenges faced by Muslims and expressed a leeway to hire one’s property to them even though the activities of the business are not Shariah compliant.

If a Muslim landlord exercises restraint and avoids hiring his property to non-Muslims engaging in un-islamic activities and bears a loss or accepts a lower rental, that is his strength of Imaan and courage.

If a Muslim landlord is in financial constraints or in constraints with the law, there is a leeway for him to accept such tenants. Obviously, hiring ones property to such tenants will be makrooh (disliked) as there is a degree of assisting in sin. However, that karahiyyah (dislikeness)  will fall away if the business of the tenant is not completely haram, and the major source of income is from halal, then he can use the income for himself.

It is advisable for him to dispense of the % of the haram portion of the rental by giving that amount in sadaqa. That amount may also be used to pay unjust taxes. For example, if the tenant is Pick n Pay or Spar or Checkers and the proceeds of the sales of liquor or haram meat is 5% and the rental is R50,000, then 5% of the rental , i.e. R2,500, should be ideally disposed off in Sadaqah or used to offset unjust taxes.

If the business is completely haram, for example, a disco, a night club etc, or the major source of the business is haram according to Shariah standards, then it is not permissible to hire one’s property to such tenants.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best

Mufti Faizal Riza
http://www.fatwa.org.au/

Article taken from www.daruliftaa.net