Settling Citizens' Loans via Text Messages
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Q: The project:Repaying the loans or debts of citizens via text messages (SMS).- The companies it deals with: - Saudi Telecom Company. - The intermediary company. - The project owner. Method of the project: Saudi Telecom Company approves this project after obtaining approval from the Ministry of Media and Trade. The intermediary company, which is the company between the project owner and Saudi Telecom Company, buys, for example, (50,000) messages from Saudi Telecom Company at a price of (17) halalas, for example, and then sells any number of messages to the project owner at a price of (20) halalas, for example. The intermediary company sends the purchased messages to the beneficiary citizens, specifying in them, for example: - Do you wish to repay your loan? Reply: (Yes) (No). And the reply to the company with (Yes) or (No) will be free of charge as the first message; if he replies with (Yes), the message is sent back to him
with a phrase, for example: (Please provide us with the following information: name, loan amount, region), noting that the value of the message is (5) riyals, for example. The value of the message is clarified to avoid deception. At least two people are selected weekly by computer to have their loans settled. The selected individuals are contacted to obtain their remaining data, and the amount is deposited into their accounts or they are handed checks for the full amount. Then, Saudi Telecom Company is provided weekly with what was done to prevent manipulation. The project owner is provided with a website to track the messages delivered and received by the beneficiary. Distribution of percentages: Saudi Telecom Company 50% of the total amount. The intermediary company 10%. The project owner 40%. Note: The one who performs the settlement is only the project owner from his 40%.
A: The Committee studied this matter and held that establishing this project and taking money for the messages, and some subscribers benefiting from repaying
their loans while others do not, is forbidden; because it is from gambling (maysir) which Allah has forbidden in His Book, saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91] , and gambling is: bets that include risk, uncertainty, ignorance, and consuming the wealth of people unjustly. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: (Gambling is the risk that revolves between the one who puts up the money either gaining, losing, or being safe). And this project is based on risk; because it includes a certain loss and a possible gain. Also, that is from consuming the wealth of people unjustly. And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:188] , and He said: [An-Nisa 4:29] , and it is obligatory to stay away from the forbidden means of deception for gathering wealth, and that seeking livelihood should be through lawful means, and in the lawful there is sufficiency from the forbidden.
with a phrase, for example: (Please provide us with the following information: name, loan amount, region), noting that the value of the message is (5) riyals, for example. The value of the message is clarified to avoid deception. At least two people are selected weekly by computer to have their loans settled. The selected individuals are contacted to obtain their remaining data, and the amount is deposited into their accounts or they are handed checks for the full amount. Then, Saudi Telecom Company is provided weekly with what was done to prevent manipulation. The project owner is provided with a website to track the messages delivered and received by the beneficiary. Distribution of percentages: Saudi Telecom Company 50% of the total amount. The intermediary company 10%. The project owner 40%. Note: The one who performs the settlement is only the project owner from his 40%.
A: The Committee studied this matter and held that establishing this project and taking money for the messages, and some subscribers benefiting from repaying
their loans while others do not, is forbidden; because it is from gambling (maysir) which Allah has forbidden in His Book, saying:
(90) O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. (91) Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنْصَابُ وَالأَزْلامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (90) إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَAnd do not consume one another's wealth unjustly
وَلا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِO you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.