Fatwa #4338630 November 2019South Africa
How to deal with customers not willing to pay?
Question
Slmz Dear Respected Alim/Mufti
I have an important question regrding bussiness dealings.
I run a repair bussiness and i only repair equiment once the customer agrees with the quote.
One customer agreed with the quote and told me to go ahead with the repairs with their machine.
Its now been six months since i repaired the machine and the customer keeps delaying me for payment and today they even cut the call when they realised that its me who called when I called from another number.
Furthermore they are not taking my calls and they blocked me from whatsapp.
I have a soft hearth and they are taking advantage of me.Every month they say they will pay but they dont which is not right as my money is stuck.
How many more chances am I supposed to give these untrustworthy people who are taking advantage of me.
Its been far to long and they are actually making me beg for my haq and whats entilted to me.
Can I sell the machine to defray my cost?
Please advise me as i cant take it anymore,especially been taken advantage off.
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuhu.
You state that you run a repair business. Equipment is brought to you and you give the customer a quote for repairing it. If the customer agrees with the quote, you begin your service of repairing the equipment.
A customer agreed with a quote you provided him, and you began repairing the equipment/machine he brought to you. You completed the service as agreed, and have alerted the customer, so that he may collect his equipment and also pay you the price he agreed to pay.
You state that the customer has been delaying the payment, and it has been six months now. You have exhausted all possible avenues to contact the customer but you were unsuccessful.
This behaviour of the customer is incorrect and causing harm to you. If he is able to pay but avoiding to do so, he is sinful.
It is permissible for you to sell his equipment to cover your cost. If there is surplus money, that should be returned to him. We advise you to also seek legal advice before selling the equipment.[1]
Furthermore, you mention how you are ‘tired of being taken advantage of like this’ and ask for our advice to avoid such encounters with customers in future. We advise you to include terms and conditions in your transactions, stating that if the customer does not pay by so and so date, you will have the right to sell the item to defray costs.
For more detailed advice on the matter, you may refer to Fatwa 43811.
And Allah Ta ‘āla Knows Best
Bayazeed
Student – Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
21-03-1441 | 19-11-2019
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[1] درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام (3/ 84)
إذا ظفر رب الدين بمال للمدين من جنس حقه فله أخذه بدون رضاء المدين إذا كان مطلوبه غير مؤجل وليس له أخذ مال خلاف الجنس، كما أنه ليس له الأخذ الجيد بدل الرديء… الخ
المبسوط للسرخسي (9/ 178)
فأما قبل القضاء فلا حق لصاحب الدين في مال المديون إلا أنه إذا كان الدين من جنس ما أخذه كان فعله استيفاء، ولصاحب الدين أن يستوفي جنس حقه إذا ظفر به فلا يلزمه القطع لذلك، فأما إذا كان من خلاف جنس حقه ففعله ليس باستيفاء، ولكنه سرقة موجبة للحد عليه فإن قال: إنما أردت أن آخذه رهنا بحقي أو قضاء لحقي درئ عنه الحد لشبهة اختلاف العلماء رحمهم الله تعالى فإن ابن أبي ليلى - رحمه الله - كان يقول، وإن ظفر بخلاف جنس حقه كان له أخذه لوجود المجانسة باعتبار صفة المالية.
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (7/ 71)
وَجُمْلَةُ الْكَلَامِ فِيهِ: أَنَّ الْأَمْرَ لَا يَخْلُو إمَّا أَنْ كَانَ سَرَقَ مِنْهُ مِنْ جِنْسِ حَقِّهِ، وَإِمَّا إنْ كَانَ سَرَقَ مِنْهُ خِلَافَ جِنْسِ حَقِّهِ، فَإِنْ سَرَقَ جِنْسَ حَقِّهِ بِأَنْ سَرَقَ مِنْهُ عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ، وَلَهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشَرَةٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ دَيْنُهُ عَلَيْهِ حَالًا - لَا يُقْطَعُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْأَخْذَ مُبَاحٌ لَهُ لِأَنَّهُ ظَفَرَ بِجِنْسِ حَقِّهِ، وَمَنْ لَهُ الْحَقُّ إذَا ظَفَرَ بِجِنْسِ حَقِّهِ؛ يُبَاحُ لَهُ أَخْذُهُ، وَإِذَا أَخَذَهُ يَصِيرُ مُسْتَوْفِيًا حَقَّهُ.
المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (7/ 289)
ورب الدين إذا ظفر بدنانير المديون وحقه في الدراهم له أن يأخذ.
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 422)
(ليس لذي الحق ان يأخذ غير جنس حقه) أَنَّ عَدَمَ الْجَوَازِ كَانَ فِي زَمَانِهِمْ، أَمَّا الْيَوْمَ فَالْفَتْوَى عَلَى الْجَوَازِ (قَوْلُهُ وَهُوَ الْأَوْسَعُ) لِتَعَيُّنِهِ طَرِيقًا لِاسْتِيفَاءِ حَقِّهِ فَيَنْتَقِلُ حَقُّهُ مِنْ الصُّورَةِ إلَى الْمَالِيَّةِ كَمَا فِي الْغَصْبِ وَالْإِتْلَافِ مُجْتَبًى، وَفِيهِ وَجَدَ دَنَانِيرَ مَدْيُونِهِ وَلَهُ عَلَيْهِ دَرَاهِمُ، فَلَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَهُ لِاتِّحَادِهِمْ جِنْسًا فِي الثَّمَنِيَّةِ اهـ.