Q: Many companies state at the bottom of their invoice "goods remain the property of the above company until fully paid for". What is the status of the goods and is such a condition permissible?
A: According to Shariah, once a sale is concluded, ownership of the purchased commodity is transferred from the seller to the buyer. Thereafter, the buyer may do as he pleases with the purchased commodity. For the seller to attach the condition that he will remain the owner of the goods until paid for in full by the purchaser is impermissible and the condition will be regarded as baatil in Shariah. Furthermore, this condition opposes the definition of a sale as well as the dictates of logic.
As far as it opposing the definition of a sale is concerned, then a sale refers to exchanging a commodity for a commodity with mutual consent through an offer and acceptance (in this situation, the money for the goods). Hence, for the seller to thereafter say that the sale commodity still remains in his ownership means that no sale had taken place between the two parties, whereas both parties agree that a sale had been concluded between them.
As far as this condition opposing logic is concerned, then as the seller will receive payment in instalments, he will regard the wealth to be his and use it as he pleases. How is it then that the purchased commodity will not belong to the purchaser? Similarly, the purchased commodity will either be something that is perishable e.g. food items, or something that is non-perishable e.g. a fridge, clothing, etc.
If the sale takes place on perishable items, and the purchaser thereafter begins to sell the items, how can the seller still remain the owner of these perishable items that have been sold and are already consumed? This has no basis and meaning. Similarly, if the sale takes place on non-perishable items, then too when the purchaser is allowed to sell it, then it can no longer remain in the ownership of the seller. Remaining in the ownership of the seller will not allow the purchaser to sell the item as it does not belong to him, but is only an amaanah (trust) in his hand. The law of amaanah (trust) is that one is not allowed to sell it.
If one has to regard this sale to be similar to a sale wherein khiyaar-e-shart (option of sale) is reserved for the seller, then too this sale will not be correct. The reason is that in a sale wherein khiyaar-e-shart is reserved for the seller, the buyer does not acquire ownership of the sale commodity and is not permitted to sell the sale commodity until the seller confirms the sale, whereas in this case, both parties agree that the purchaser has purchased the sale commodity and can do with it as he pleases. Therefore, this proves that he has gained ownership of the purchased commodity.
In essence, when this condition is closely examined, one understands that it is not permissible to attach such a condition in a sale as it opposes the definition of a sale as well as the dictates of logic. Hence, this condition is baatil in Shariah.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
قال البيع ينعقد بالإيجاب والقبول إذا كانا بلفظي الماضي (الهداية 3/18)
هو مبادلة المال بالمال بالتراضي بطريق الاكتساب (العناية شرح الهداية 3/457)
وأما حكمه فثبوت الملك في المبيع للمشتري وفي الثمن للبائع إذا كان البيع باتا (الفتاوى الهندية 3/3)
(وخيار البائع يمنع خروج المبيع عن ملكه) لأن تمام هذا السبب بالمراضاة ولا يتم مع الخيار ولهذا ينفذ عتقه ولا يملك المشتري التصرف فيه وإن قبضه بإذن البائع (ولو قبضه المشتري وهلك في يده في مدة الخيار ضمنه بالقيمة) لأن البيع ينفسخ بالهلاك لأنه كان موقوفا ولا نفاذ بدون المحل فبقي مقبوضا في يده على سوم الشراء وفيه القيمة ولو هلك في يد البائع انفسخ البيع ولا شيء على المشتري اعتبارا بالبيع الصحيح المطلق قال (وخيار المشتري لا يمنع خروج المبيع عن ملك البائع) لأن البيع في جانب الآخر لازم وهذا لأن الخيار إنما يمنع خروج البدل عن ملك من له الخيار لأنه شرع نظرا له دون الآخر (الهداية 3/30)
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