Mudhaarib hiring the rabbul maal to pack products in the warehouse

Q: I intend to enter into a Mudhaarabah agreement as a Mudhaarib, kindly advise me if the below transaction between the Mudhaarib and Rabbul maal is permissible: 

1. The Mudhaarib will rent out space of the Rabbul Maal's warehouse at a set price/sqm. 

2. The Rabbul Maal will facilitate the picking and packing of products in the warehouse for a cost per carton. the above arrangements will be structured as three separate contracts: 

 The Mudhaarabah agreement. 
 A separate Ijaarah (rental) agreement for the warehouse space. 
 A separate Ijaarah (service) agreement, whereby the Rabb-ul-Maal undertakes the picking and packing for an agreed fee. 

The following conditions will be observed: 
 The Mudhaarabah capital (Ra-sul-Maal) will first come under the full control and possession of the Mudhaarib. 
 The Mudhaarib will retain full discretion over the management of the Mudhaarabah business and will remain at liberty to rent any other warehouse and engage any other service provider. His choice to utilize the Rabb-al-Maal's warehouse and services will arise only through separate Ijaarah agreements and will not result in the Rabb-al-Maal effectively retaking control of the Mudhaarabah assets or operations. 
 The rental and service fees will be fixed and known, and will represent genuine consideration for those services rather than a means of guaranteeing a return to the Rabb-ul-Maal.

A: This contract and agreement does not conform to the sharee workings of a mudhaarabah partnership. 

The mudhaarib cannot hire the premises of the rabbul maal to store the goods of the mudhaarabah. 

Similarly, the mudhaarib cannot hire the service of the rabbul maal to package the goods of the mudhaarabah and then the rabbul maal charges the mudhaarib a fee for his service.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

(ألا ترى) أن المضارب لو استأجر رب المال أن يشتري له ويبيع بعشرة دراهم في الشهر فاشترى له فربح، أو وضع كان ما صنع من ذلك جائزا على المضارب ولا أجر له؛ لأنه عامل في مال نفسه، فلا يستوجب على عمله أجرا بالشرط (المبسوط للسرخسي 22/89)

(ولو) استأجره (لحمل طعام) مشترك (بينهما فلا أجر له) ؛ لأنه لا يعمل شيئا لشريكه إلا ويقع بعضه لنفسه فلا يستحق الأجر

قال العلامة ابن عابدين رحمه الله: (قوله فلا أجر له) أي لا المسمى ولا أجر المثل زيلعي؛ لأن الأجر يجب في الفاسدة إذا كان له نظير من الإجارة الجائزة وهذه لا نظير لها إتقاني، وظاهر كلام قاضي خان في الجامع أن العقد باطل؛ لأنه قال: لا ينعقد العقد تأمل (رد المحتار 6/60)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)