What is the meaning of the statement attributed to Shaykh al-Islam: "Customary permission takes the place of verbal permission"?
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The Shaykh : We hear a phrase attributed to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), which is: "Customary permission takes the place of verbal permission". The question is: What is meant by this?
This is attributed to Shaykh al-Islam and others, that customary permission is like verbal permission.
An example of this is: A man has prepared himself to sell goods, let us say dates, and this is the place where he sells dates. So I come and place a container of dates in this place where dates are sold. If the owner of the place comes, does he sell these dates or not?
The student: He sells them.
He sells them. If it is asked how he sells them when he was not given permission, we say: This is customary permission. Likewise, if you invite someone to your house and then open the door and the guests come in, if you open the door, that is customary permission. Similarly, if you serve food to the guests and you are finished, that is customary permission; you do not need to say "Please, go ahead." But I see that people now have to say "Please, go ahead," because most people place the food in another location, so when it is prepared, they come to them and say "Please, go ahead." Thus, custom varies according to times, circumstances, and places.
This is attributed to Shaykh al-Islam and others, that customary permission is like verbal permission.
An example of this is: A man has prepared himself to sell goods, let us say dates, and this is the place where he sells dates. So I come and place a container of dates in this place where dates are sold. If the owner of the place comes, does he sell these dates or not?
The student: He sells them.
He sells them. If it is asked how he sells them when he was not given permission, we say: This is customary permission. Likewise, if you invite someone to your house and then open the door and the guests come in, if you open the door, that is customary permission. Similarly, if you serve food to the guests and you are finished, that is customary permission; you do not need to say "Please, go ahead." But I see that people now have to say "Please, go ahead," because most people place the food in another location, so when it is prepared, they come to them and say "Please, go ahead." Thus, custom varies according to times, circumstances, and places.