Q: My question is regarding radar & speed camera detectors. Recently traffic police in Saudi Arabia has introduced a new system for traffic monitoring known as SAHER. In this system they have installed speed cameras at different locations inside the city by which they are monitoring speed of vehicles and generating speed tickets for defaulters. In addition if the defaulter is unable to pay the amount within 1 month his fine is doubled, similarly if he fails to pay the fine it is trippled in the third month (the maximum is number of times the fine is multiplied is just three). The voilator recvs an sms from the traffic police on the next day of the voilation and then he has to arrange the amount with in a month to avoid it being doubled, whereas earlier the rule was that whenever a person applies for IQAMA renewel or exit re-entry he has to clear all govt dues including any voilations on him, and the voilation amount remained the same. Now some people have started to bring radar and speed camera detectors in saudia tgo avoid being caught and getting speed fines, although it is illegal to buy/sell and use in Saudi Arabia but still we have some people selling it in the market. As we know most of us reduce speed or put on our seat belts when we see the check post from faraway or we know that there are cameras or check posts in the area we are moving towards. Radar detectors are also doing the same job they tell us well in advance that there are speed cameras or police radars 500-800 meters ahead, so that we can slow down and drive carefully and avoid being caught by the police and getting heavy fines the question is that radar detectors are doing nothing but just letting us drive more safely they are not blocking police radars, nither are they blocking the lasers. they are just giving us advance safety precautions so that we can slow down our car. put on the seat belt and drive carefully and avoid speed and other voilation tickets. So can we use these devices for our personal use, and can we trade these devices, if we buy from outside the kingdom and sell them in saudi arabia will this earning be jaiz?
A: In an Islamic state it is compulsory to obey the laws of the state which relate to public safety provided they are within the parameters of Shari`ah.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا ﴿النساء: ٥٩﴾
عن مالك انه بلغه ان عمر بن الخطاب :قال لا حكرة في سوقنا لا يعمد رجال بأيديهم فضول من أذهاب إلى رزق من رزق الله نزل بساحتنا فيحتكرونه علينا ولكن أيما جالب جلب على عمود كبده في الشتاء والصيف فذلك ضيف عمر فليبع كيف شاء الله وليمسك كيف شاء الله (مؤطا الإمام مالك 591)
عن سعيد بن المسيب :ان عمر بن الخطاب مر بحاطب بن أبي بلتعة وهو يبيع زبيبا له بالسوق فقال له عمر بن الخطاب إما ان تزيد في السعر واما ان ترفع من سوقن
وفي حاشيته : أما أن تزيد في السعر وأما أن ترفع وفي الدر المختار أنه لايسعر حاكم إلا اذا تعدى الأرباب عن القيمة تعديا فاحشا فيسعر بمشورة اهل الرأي (مؤطا الإمام مالك 591)
عن العلاء بن عبد الرحمن بن يعقوب عن أبيه عن جده قال : قال عمر بن الخطاب لا يبع في سوقنا إلا من تفقه في الدين (جامع الترمذي رقم 487)
عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أطاعني فقد أطاع الله ومن عصاني فقد عصى الله ومن يطع الأمير فقد أطاعني ومن يعص الأمير فقد عصاني وإنما الإمام جنة يقاتل من ورائه ويتقى به فإن أمر بتقوى الله وعدل فإن له بذلك أجرا وإن قال بغيره فإن عليه منه (مشكاة رقم 3661)
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)