Carrying out a credit transaction without the presence of witnesses

· 27 Shawwal 1443 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

I am in business of steel and rubber trade in which I used to give material on credit without any witnesses. Recently I heard a speech of a scholar that Allah will not hear your prayers if you had given credit without any witness.

Is there any remedy to my situation and also does the material on credit and money givien on credit come under the same ruling?

Answer

What the scholar has mentioned is not correct. A credit transaction carried out without the presence of witnesses is valid and permissible in shariah. The validity of the credit transaction is not subject to witnesses being present, even though it is better and encouraged to have witnesses present to witness the credit transaction.

Shariah has not made appointing witnesses compulsory, but encourages appointing witnesses at the time when a credit transaction is carried out as this will prevent misunderstanding and quarrels taking place in the future.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

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