Islamic Economics Centre (DaruliftaAhlesunnat)
(Dawateislami -Darulifta Ahle Sunnat)
Question
What do the Islamic scholars say regarding the following matter: I own a hair oil factory. If someone wishes to buy the formula for making hair oil from me, is it permissible in Islamic law for me to sell it? This sale will involve paper i.e. there will be a paper and I will write the formula on it.
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
From Shariah perspective, it is permissible to sell the oil making formula as described in the question.
Detailed answer:
Islamic law stipulates that for any trade, the item being sold must be both Maal (المال) and a valuable (المتقوم) item. For something to qualify as Maal, it is sufficient that people have an inclination towards it, they store it and have a desire to give and take it. For an item to be a valuable (المتقوم) means that Shari'ah allows deriving benefit from it. In our times, paper is considered a valuable item, and people, in various ways, derive various benefits from it.
In the asked scenario, the paper being sold fulfills the definition of Maal. And other than that, the formula written on the paper also adds to its value. Hence it is permissible to buy and sell such paper.
The item being sold must be both Maal and a valuable. Allama Shami (رحمہ اللہ تعالی) states under the conditions of sale:
”كونه موجودا مالا متقوما“
Translation: It is from the condition of a sale that the subject of the sale must exist and must be from the category of Maal and that too a valuable.(Radd-ul-Muhtar, Vol. 4, p. 505, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
He further explains:
”والمال ما من شأنه أن يدخر للانتفاع وقت الحاجة “
Translation: Maal is that which people tend to save to benefit from in times of need.(Radd-ul-Muhtar, Vol. 4, p. 502, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
Allama Shami رحمۃ اللہ علیہ also writes about the meaning of a valuable (المتقوم):
”المتقوم هو المال المباح الانتفاع به شرعا“
Translation: Mutaqawwim is a Maal from which deriving benefit is permissible in Shari'ah.(Radd-ul -Muhtar, Vol. 5, p. 50, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
Imam-e-Ahle-e-Sunnat, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ), writes about the status of paper as Maal-e-Mutaqawwim in Kifl-ul-Faqih al-Fahim:
”الکاغذ مال متقوم وما زادتہ ھذہ السکۃ الا رغبۃ للناس الیہ وزیادۃ فی صلوح ادخارہ للحاجات وھذا معنی المال ۔۔۔ و معلوم ان الشرع لم یرد بحجر المسلم عن التصرف فی قطعۃ قرطاس کیفما کانت کما ورد بہ فی الخمر والخنزیر وھذا ھومناط التقوم۔“
Translation: Paper is a valuable wealth (المال المتقوم), and its particular form as currency has only increased people's inclination toward it, because it is increasingly suitable for saving for future needs. This is exactly the meaning of Maal (wealth). It is a well-known fact that Shari'ah has not mentioned any prohibition for Muslims from deriving a permissible benefit from paper in any manner, unlike wine and swine (where prohibition is mentioned). And this is exactly the meaning of Taqawwum i.e. Shari'ah does not prohibit deriving lawful benefit from something.(Kifl-ul-Faqihil-Fahim, p. 3, Published by Maktaba-tul-Madina, Karachi)
Let alone selling a paper with a formula written on it that makes it valuable, even selling a simple and plain paper is permissible. See what Allamah Ibn-e-Hummam has stated about selling a plain paper:
”باع كاغذة بألف يجوز ولا يكره“
Translation: Selling a piece of paper for a thousand (Rupees or any currency unit) is permissible without any Karahah (بلا كراهة).(Fath-ul-Qadir Sharh al-Hidayah, Vol. 7, p. 212, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)
Sadr ul-Shariah Mufti Amjad Ali Aazmi (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) states in Bahar-e-Shariat:
”مال وہ چیز ہے جس کی طرف طبیعت کا میلان ہو، جس کو دیا لیا جاتا ہو، جس سے دوسروں کو روکتے ہوں ، جسے وقت ضرورت کے لیے جمع رکھتے ہوں“
Translation: Maal is that which people are naturally inclined toward, which is exchanged and withheld from others, and saved for future needs.(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 2, p. 696, Published by Maktaba-tul-Madina, Karachi)
Answered By: Abu Muhammad Mufti Ali Asghar Attari Madani
Ref No: IEC-0049
Date: 30th Muharram 1445 AH / 18th August 2023
Translated by Maulana Abdul Wajid Madani
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم