Q: I am a LP gas distributor. We supply retail and wholesale customers. We collect empty cylinders from the customers which are then exchanged for full cylinders. Customers only pay for the gas inside the cylinder. Sometimes customers return cylinders that still have gas inside for exchange. We are able to ask the retail customers if they want to return cylinders that still have gas inside as this is a loss to them. Most of them are fine with the loss. However, it is impossible to check with the wholesale customers as the cylinders are returned first to the wholesaler who then returns them to us. As a result we receive an average of 250-350 kg free gas per month.
1. Can we re-sell this gas that comes back from the customers?
2. If it is not permitted, what should we do regarding our past sales from this 'free' gas?
3. The retail store is run entirely by non-Muslim staff. Is it permissible for the shop to remain open during Jumuah?
A:
1. As a precaution, you may notify your clients that you get situations where some gas is remaining. Hence, they should give you the right to do as you please with it.
3. We will not say that it is haraam, but we will discourage this practice. Jumuah has a unique status, and as we show respect to its status it is better for our deen. And in every case that I have come across, I have seen that people who show it the greater respect they receive much more barkat and increase in their business and lives.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
قرائن الأحوال العرفية: ويقرب من ذلك مسائل كثيرة ... والتقاط ما ينبذ في الطريق من نحو قشور البطيخ و الرمان (نشر العرف في بناء بعض الاحكام على العرف صـ 143)
(ومنها) البيع وقت النداء وهو أذان الجمعة لقوله تعالى: "يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا نودي للصلاة من يوم الجمعة فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله وذروا البيع" أمر بترك البيع عند النداء نهيا عن البيع لكن لغيره وهو ترك السعي فكان البيع في ذاته مشروعا جائزا لكنه يكره لأنه اتصل به غير مشروع وهو ترك السعي (بدائع الصنائع 5/232)
أخبرني عبد الرحمن الأعرج أنه سمع أبا هريرة يقول: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: خير يوم طلعت عليه الشمس يوم الجمعة فيه خلق آدم وفيه أدخل الجنة وفيه أخرج منها (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 17)
ذٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّم شَعـائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّها مِن تَقوَى القُلوبِ (الحج: 32)
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