Q: I need your shariah ruling on the following matter. A property was sold in 2003 for an agreed sum. The seller, represented by executors and heirs duly signed the purchase and sale agreement. The purchaser paid the transfer duty to SARS via the conveyancer. To date, transfer of the property has not taken place. Some executors and heirs who signed the agreement are now deceased, thus estates upon estates had to be finalised causing indefinite delay in transfer.
The new heirs are not willing to honour their parents signatures on the agreement, reason being:
- Price of property – not market related – as at today
- Arrear rental – some of the buyers are tenants on this property and have refused to pay the increase in rental due to the delay.
At present, papers are ready for transfer, pending the signature of a few heirs. If the seller does not honour the agreement, the purchaser is now seeking High Court ruling for finalisation.
Does the seller have any reason to dishonour this agreement?
I seek the shariah ruling, hoping to resolve this matter.
A: If the property was correctly sold and the purchaser had taken some form of security and custody of the property then the property belongs to the purchaser. Ownership of the property is not subject to legal implications.
الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَحَلَّ اللَّـهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا فَمَن جَاءَهُ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَانتَهَىٰ فَلَهُ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ﴿البقرة: ٢٧٥﴾
كتاب البيوع قال البيع ينعقد بالإيجاب والقبول إذا كانا بلفظي الماضي مثل أن يقول أحدهما بعث والآخر اشتريت (الهداية 3/ 18)
قال ويجوز البيع بثمن حال ومؤجل إذا كان الأجل معلوما لإطلاق قوله تعالى { وأحل الله البيع } وعنه عليه الصلاة والسلام أنه اشترى من يهودي طعاما إلى أجل معلوم ورهنه درعه ولا بد أن يكون الأجل معلوما لأن الجهالة فيه مانعة من التسليم الواجب بالعقد فهذا يطالبه به في قريب المدة وهذايسلمه في بعيدها (الهداية 3/ 21)
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)