Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/120)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

(The basic rule governing transactions is that they are lawful and valid unless there is evidence establishing their prohibition or invalidity.) This is part of Allah’s blessing: the path leading to Allah—that is, acts of worship—the basic rule concerning it is prohibition, unless evidence establishes that it has been legislated. As for transactions between people, it is from Allah’s mercy and His making matters easy for His servants that their basic rule is permissibility and lawfulness, except where evidence has come prohibiting them. Accordingly, we say: What prevents a debt from being secured by another debt?! So long as it involves neither injustice, uncertainty, nor usury, the basic rule is that it is valid.

A pledge is one of the contracts of security, and contracts of security are of three types: witnessing, pledging, and guaranteeing, which also includes suretyship.

All of these are mentioned in the Quran. As for witnessing, Allah Most High says: “And take witnesses when you enter into a transaction.” [al-Baqarah 2:282] As for pledging, He says: “Then let there be a pledged security in hand.” [al-Baqarah 2:283] As for guaranteeing and suretyship, He says: “Whoever brings it shall have a camel-load, and I guarantee it.” [Yusuf 12:72] That is, I am its surety and guarantor. Through these three means, the holder of a right secures his right. Therefore, it is negligence to deal with someone without witnesses, a pledge, or a guarantee.

His statement, “It is valid with respect to every tangible asset that may be sold”: the author has explained what may validly be pledged, and from this we may also derive the ruling concerning pledges.

As we have said, the basic rule concerning pledges is validity. Its evidence is found in the Book of Allah, the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, scholarly consensus, and sound reasoning. Thus, its evidences are four:

As for the Book, Allah Most High says: “And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a pledged security in hand.” [al-Baqarah 2:283]

As for the sunnah, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A riding animal may be ridden in return for its maintenance when it is…”

(أن الأصل في المعاملات الحل والصحة ما لم يوجد دليل على التحريم والفساد)، وهذا من نعمة الله، أن الطريق الموصل إلى الله ـ أي: العبادات ـ الأصل فيها المنع، حتى يقوم دليل على أنها مشروعة، وأما المعاملات بين الناس، فمن رحمة الله وتوسعته على عباده، أن الأصل فيها الإباحة والحل، إلا ما ورد الدليل على منعه، وعلى هذا فنقول: ما المانع من أن نوثق الدين بالدين؟! ما دام ليس فيه ظلم ولا غرر ولا رباً فالأصل الصحة. والرهن من عقود التوثقات، وعقود التوثقة ثلاثة أشياء: الشهادة والرهن والضمان ومنه الكفالة أيضاً. وكلها في القرآن، أما الشهادة فقول الله تعالى: ﴿وَأَشْهِدُوا إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٨٢]، وأما الرهن فقوله: ﴿فَرِهَانٌ مَقْبُوضَةٌ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٨٣]، وأما الضمان والكفالة فقوله: ﴿وَلِمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ﴾ [يوسف: ٧٢]، أي كفيل وضامن، فهذه الأمور الثلاثة يكون بها توثق صاحب الحق لحقه؛ ولهذا من التفريط أن تتعامل مع شخص بدون شهادة ولا رهن ولا ضمان. قوله: «يصح في كل عين يجوز بيعها» بيَّن المؤلف ما الذي يصح رهنه، وربما نأخذ من ذلك ـ أيضاً ـ حكم الرهن. فالأصل في الرهن الصحة كما قلنا، ودليله من كتاب الله، وسنة رسول الله ﷺ، والإجماع، والنظر الصحيح، فأدلته أربعة: أما الكتاب: فقال الله ـ تعالى ـ ﴿وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ وَلَمْ تَجِدُوا كَاتِبًا فَرِهَانٌ مَقْبُوضَةٌ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٨٣]. وأما السُّنة فقال النبي ﷺ: «الظهر يُركب بنفقته إذا كان