QUESTION:-
Due to the advancement of technology, what will one Majlis be termed as, because it is a Shart (condition) in Mua’malaat (business transactions), for example, Buyoo, Nikah etc. In a scenario where the the husband proposes Khula in exchange of $100 in the wife’s absence, the Fuqaha state that, when she receives the proposal and thereafter accepts it, Khula will take place. However, if the wife proposes $100 in exchange for Khula in the absence of the husband, then when he receives the proposal and accepts it, Khula will not take place because one Majlis (being in one gathering) is a Shart (a condition for the validity of the transaction).
1. What is the difference between the 2 Masaa’il?
2. What does one Majlis (gathering) refer to?
3. In Buyoo (business transactions), where online business takes place, what is the ruling?
4. If the buyer and seller reside in different countries and communicate via Whatsapp, will it be considered as one Majlis? If not, how will they conduct the business transaction?
5. Will Nikah via Skype or video call be valid?
ANSWER:-
1. When the proposal of Khula is made from the side of the husband, then it is in the ruling of a Qasm which he cannot retract from. It is therefore, correct for him to make it pending upon risks. This indicates that the Khula is already confirmed from one party (since there is no possibility of retraction) but requires confirmation from the other party. From the wife’s side, it is the exchange of wealth in lieu of wealth, hence she is entitled to retract from her proposal before the husband accepts it, and it is not correct to make it pending upon risks. Hence, the Khula must be confirmed in the Majlis by both parties, as there is no confirmation from either party.
Therefore, if the husband says, “I have made Khula with my wife in lieu of $100 or I have divorced her upon $100,” in her absence, then it will be dependent upon her acceptance when she is informed or made aware of it (as there is confirmation from his side already). However, if she proposed Khula in his absence, it will not be correct, as confirmation in the Majlis is required from both parties.
In conclusion, we understand from the text of the jurists that the proposal of Khula from the side of the wife is like ‘Bay’, hence both parties should be present in the Majlis for the proposal and acceptance to be concluded, but when the proposal is from the side of the husband, then it is in the ruling of a Qasm which is already binding or confirmed. Hence, even if he proposes in her absence and she accepts when she becomes aware, then too it is valid as both parties are not required to be present in the Majlis in this instance, to conclude the Khula.
وَلَا يَصِحُّ الْخُلْعُ وَالطَّلَاقُ عَلَى مَالٍ إلَّا بِالْقَبُولِ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ.
فَإِنْ قَامَتْ مِنْ الْمَجْلِسِ قَبْلَ الْقَبُولِ أَوْ أَخَذَتْ فِي عَمَلٍ آخَرَ يَدُلُّ عَلَى الْإِعْرَاضِ لَا يَصِحُّ الْخُلْعُ وَيُعْتَبَرُ فِيهِ مَجْلِسُهَا لَا مَجْلِسُهُ حَتَّى لَوْ ذَهَبَ مِنْ الْمَجْلِسِ ثُمَّ قَبِلَتْ فِي مَجْلِسِهَا ذَلِكَ صَحَّ قَبُولُهَا وَوَقَعَ الطَّلَاقُ وَلَزِمَهَا الْمَالُ وَالْخُلْعُ مِنْ جَانِبِهِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْيَمِينِ لَا يَمْلِكُ الرُّجُوعَ عَنْهُ وَيَصِحُّ تَعْلِيقُهُ بِالْأَخْطَارِ وَمِنْ جَانِبِهَا بِمَنْزِلَةِ مُبَادَلَةِ الْمَالِ بِالْمَالِ حَتَّى إنَّهَا تَمْلِكُ الرُّجُوعَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ قَبُولِ الزَّوْجِ وَلَا يَصِحُّ تَعْلِيقُهُ بِالْأَخْطَارِ بَيَانُهُ إذَا قَالَ خَالَعْت امْرَأَتِي عَلَى أَلْفٍ أَوْ طَلَّقْتهَا عَلَى أَلْفٍ وَهِيَ غَائِبَةٌ يَتَوَقَّفُ عَلَى قَبُولِهَا فِي مَجْلِسِ عِلْمِهَا، وَلَوْ كَانَتْ هِيَ الَّتِي قَالَتْ ذَلِكَ وَهُوَ غَائِبٌ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَصِحُّ حَتَّى إذَا بَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ فَأَجَازَهُ فِي مَجْلِسِ عِلْمِهِ لَا يَجُوزُ قَالَ الْكَرْخِيُّ إذَا ابْتَدَأَ الزَّوْجُ فَقَالَ خَالَعْتُكِ عَلَى أَلْفٍ لَمْ يَصِحَّ (الجوهرة النيرة – كتاب الخلع)
2. It refers to both parties being in the same gathering (physically) where the proposal and acceptance will be concluded as in the case of Bay or Nikah.
3. It is permissible to conclude a business transaction through writing. The letter sent to the seller (to purchase a certain item) holds the position of a proposal. Hence, the gathering in which the letter reaches the seller is taken into consideration. The same ruling is applicable to ordering via a telephone call, Email, WhatsApp message, etc. [Re:- Fataawa Uthmaniyyah Pg.99/100 Vol.7] On receiving the correspondence, the seller accepts and processes the order immediately, hence a proposal and an acceptance was found in this instance too (from both parties) in one gathering (as the seller read the proposal when received and accepted immediately), which is in line with the requirements of Buyoo.
والكتاب كالخطاب، وكذا الارسال، حتي اعتبر مجلس بلوغ الكتاب واداء الرسالة (الهداية ج٣ ص٢٠)
4. This has been discussed above in #3.
5. Nikah conducted over video call or Skype will not be permissible, as the proposal and acceptance must take place in one gathering in the presence of two male witnesses or, one male and two female witnesses. If a boy proposes to marry a girl, then either the bride should be physically present and accept the proposal in the same gathering, or her representative should accept the proposal in the same gathering in the presence of the required witnesses. In the case where Nikah is performed over video call, both parties are in two different places, hence the Nikah will not be valid.
وَمِنْ شَرَائِطِ الْإِيجَابِ وَالْقَبُولِ: اتِّحَادُ الْمَجْلِسِ لَوْ حَاضِرَيْنِ، وَإِنْ طَالَ كَمُخَيَّرَةٍ، وَأَنْ لَا يُخَالِفَ الْإِيجَابُ الْقَبُولَ كَقَبِلْتُ النِّكَاحَ لَا الْمَهْرَ
(قَوْلُهُ: اتِّحَادُ الْمَجْلِسِ) فلو اوجب أحدهما فقام الاخر او اشتغل بعمل اخر بطل الايجاب (الدر المختار ج٣ص١٤)
كتاب النوازل ج ٨ ص ٧٦-٨٠
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:-
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date:- 01 Dhul Hijjah 1444 / 20 June 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:-
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
