Question:
I sold a car to a customer stating on the contract sold as is. If the customer discovers a fault after 1 week is it compulsory for me to take back the car and refund the customer ? Can I take a rent for using the vehicle that the customer is returning ?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
When selling a product, it should be free of any defects and faults. The seller must exercise honesty and inform the buyer of any of any defects he knows of.
Hakim bin Hizam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not separated; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., the seller and the buyer speak the truth, the seller with regard to what is purchased, and the buyer with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be eliminated.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Therefore the seller is not allowed to hide the defect of the goods, as it constitutes cheating which is prohibited in Shari’ah.
If a seller sells a defective or faulty item without declaring it, the purchaser has a right to cancel the transaction. This is known as Khiyarul Aib (Right of defect). The defect or fault must have existed while the item being sold was in the possession of the seller and the deficiency such which is considered a defect in the market practice and depreciates the value of the goods[1].
However, if the seller gives the responsibility of inspecting the item to the purchaser and absolves himself of any defects or faults, and the buyer accepts, then the purchaser will not have a right to cancel or return should he discover a fault in the item sold[2].
If this was stated in the contract of the sale, then you will not be obliged to take back the car. If however, you decide to take back the car, it will not be permitted to take a rent for the usage of the vehicle for the week.[3]
N.B. If the seller takes sympathy on the buyer and agrees to revoke the sale and refund him, he will be greatly rewarded. Rasool (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever cancels the sale of a regretful person, Allah will forgive his sins on the Day of Qiyaamah.(Sunan Ibn Majah 2199)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad) www.fatwa-tt.com
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 4)
وَالْعَيْبُ مَا يَخْلُو عَنْهُ أَصْلُ الْفِطْرَةِ السَّلِيمَةِ عَنْ الْآفَاتِ الْعَارِضَةِ لَهَا، فَالْحِنْطَةُ الْمُصَابَةُ بِهَوَاءٍ مَنَعَهَا تَمَامَ بُلُوغِهَا الْإِدْرَاكَ حَتَّى صَارَتْ رَقِيقَةَ الْحَبِّ مَعِيبَةً كَالْعَفَنِ وَالْبَلَلِ وَالسُّوسِ. اهـ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 4)
وَعِبَارَةُ الْهِدَايَةِ: وَمَا أَوْجَبَ نُقْصَانَ الثَّمَنِ فِي عَادَةِ التُّجَّارِ فَهُوَ عَيْبٌ؛ لِأَنَّ التَّضَرُّرَ بِنُقْصَانِ الْمَالِيَّةِ وَذَلِكَ بِانْتِقَاصِ الْقِيمَةِ
[2] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 42)
(قَوْلُهُ وَصَحَّ الْبَيْعُ بِشَرْطِ الْبَرَاءَةِ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ) بِأَنْ قَالَ بِعْتُك هَذَا الْعَبْدَ عَلَى أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (6/ 72)
(قَوْلُهُ وَلَوْ بَرِئَ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ بِهِ صَحَّ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُسَمِّ الْكُلَّ وَلَا يَرُدُّ بِعَيْبٍ) لِأَنَّ الْجَهَالَةَ فِي الْإِسْقَاطِ لَا تُفْضِي إلَى الْمُنَازَعَةِ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي ضِمْنِهِ التَّمْلِيكُ لِعَدَمِ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى التَّسْلِيمِ فَلَا تَكُونُ مُفْسِدَةً وَيَدْخُلُ تَحْتَ الْإِبْرَاءِ الْمَوْجُودِ وَالْحَادِثِ قَبْلَ الْقَبْضِ فِي قَوْلِ الثَّانِي وَذَكَرَهُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ فِي الْمَبْسُوطِ وَشَرْحِ الطَّحَاوِيِّ.
[3] Because profits/ monetary benefits arising from something which does not involve liability (dhamaan) is prohibited. The car was in the ownership of the Mushtari (buyer) for the week.
