Currency for Commission

The currency limitations imposed by the government on travelers%0D%0Atraveling abroad, has no Shar%E9e basis. According to the Shari%E1h, a person%0D%0Atraveling abroad is at liberty to take along with him any amount of%0D%0Acurrency. Therefore, it is permissible for a person to take out foreign%0D%0Acurrency on his passport for another person as a favour.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt is not permissible to take a commission in lieu of this favour. Islam%0D%0Aencourages brotherhood and sacrifice. Charging commission for a favour is%0D%0Aagainst the spirit of Islam. Since the common practice is that the%0D%0Acommission IS IN LIEU of the right of taking out currency on the passport,%0D%0Atherefore, any reasoning in an attempt to justify its permissibility is%0D%0Aagainst the reality of the situation.%0D%0A%0D%0AHowever, permissibility will occur in the instance where the passport holder%0D%0Ahimself purchases the currency. Thereafter, once this transaction is%0D%0Acomplete, he may in turn sell it to a person requiring the currency. This%0D%0Asale maybe at a profit. Here it is permissible since you are selling the%0D%0Aactual foreign currency. However, just to charge a commission for taking out%0D%0Athe currency is not permissible, as mentioned above. It however should be%0D%0Anoted that the practice of taking out currency on another person's passport%0D%0Ais against the law of the land and if caught, one can be put into a%0D%0Adisgraceful situation. Therefore, it is discouraged to engage in such a%0D%0Apractice, since a Muslim should not expose himself to position of disgrace.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd Allah Taala Knows Best.%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti E. Desai%0D%0A%0D%0A