Can a Gift Be Followed by a Conditional Demand?
Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr
Question
Person A gives $100 to Person B with the instruction to purchase a specific item for Person B’s own use. Person B then buys the item for himself using the $100. Afterward, Person A demands $200 from Person B as a condition for facilitating this purchase.
Is this transaction permissible according to Islamic law?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Thank you for your question.
Allah says,
“O you who believe, devour not your wealth between you through falsehood; but only through trade by your complete mutual consent.” [Quran, 4:29]
The arrangement above is considered a gift according to Islamic Law. Whenever a gift is given unconditionally, there is no reward if it is given to someone of a lower status, nor if given to someone of a higher status, according to the more apparent view. The same applies when given to a person of equal standing, according to the Madhhab. [Nawawi, al-Minhaj]
In Islamic law, Person A has no right to demand anything from Person B unless the obligation arises from one of three sources: 1) a government decree, 2) a religious injunction, or 3) a contractual agreement.
The situation outlined above does not fall under any of these categories.
I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali, and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door to students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life.
In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari‘a Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.
