Online Transactions

QUESTION:

I use a particular website to advertise my preloved/unwanted clothing and other items, etc. Upon purchasing an item, the buyer is required to pay for the item and these funds are held in the website’s account. Once the buyer receives the item, the funds are then released into the bank account of the seller.

I recently sold one of my formal evening dresses on this website. Once purchased, I sent a message to the buyer to inform them that I will courier the item A.S.A.P. The buyer then informed me that they would like to use the dress in a “shoot”. Since the buyer had already paid for the item, I did not cancel the sale and sent the dress to the buyer anyway.

Is it permissible to keep the funds received from the sale of this dress?

ANSWER:

In the above-mentioned scenario, the transaction becomes complete when the buyer gets possession of the item. Prior to the buyer getting possession of the item, you knew the intention of the buyer. Therefore, the transaction should have been cancelled. Since the transaction was not cancelled, the money acquired should be given in charity.

كُلُّ مَا يَعْلَمُ الْبَائِعُ أَنَّ الْمُشْتَرِيَ يَعْصِي بِهِ يَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ بَيْعُهُ لَهُ

(الفتاوى الكبرى الفقهية 2/270)

أَمَّا تَعْرِيفُهُ فَمُبَادَلَةُ الْمَالِ بِالْمَالِ بِالتَّرَاضِي كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي وَأَمَّا رُكْنُهُ فَنَوْعَانِ أَحَدُهُمَا الْإِيجَابُ وَالْقَبُولُ وَالثَّانِي التَّعَاطِي وَهُوَ الْأَخْذُ وَالْإِعْطَاءُ كَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ

(الفتاوى الهندية 3/2)

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Muhammad Isa Ali

Date: 19 Safar 1447 / 13 August 2025

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb