Question:
As salaam mu alaykum warahmatullah
Respected Mufti Saab
There are companies that are offering a home maintenance plan whereby you pay a monthly fee & in the event you have home maintenance issues, they will send someone out.
Are these plans permissible?
I am finding it increasingly difficult to maintain my home, not only sometimes financially but it becomes stressful to look for professionals who charge decently & do a good job.
Being a divorced sister living on my own, sometimes they rip you off & give you a sub-standard job.
Jazak Allahu Khayran.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
Home maintenance plans such as the one explained by you are not permissible as they have three prohibited elements in them: interest, gambling and uncertainty.[i]
We understand that as a sister living on your own, it may be financially difficult to maintain one’s house and that professionals may take advantage and exploit one under the circumstances. Accordingly, in the situation that your home requires any maintenance, we would advise that you inquire from family and friends regarding reliable and affordable professionals to repair the issue.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hammad bin Ismail Jogiat
Student - Darul Iftaa
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
صحيح مسلم (3/ 1153) [i]
4 – (1513) وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ، ح وحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: «نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ بَيْعِ الْحَصَاةِ، وَعَنْ بَيْعِ الْغَرَرِ»
