Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/274)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

This concerns property seized by the authorities as a disciplinary measure. May we purchase it if it is offered for sale? Yes, that is permissible, because it was taken lawfully—for example, cars, land, and the like.

His statement, “the judge sells it,” is qualified to cases where the property he possesses is not of the same type as the debt. If it is of the same type as the debt, then there is no need to sell it.

For example, a man owes one hundred sa's of wheat and possesses one hundred sa's of wheat. His property, then, is equal to the amount of his debt, so he is not placed under legal interdiction. Since it is of the same type as his debt, it need not be sold. This is unless the debt he owes is described by qualities not found in the wheat he possesses; in that case, it must be sold, whether the wheat he possesses is superior or inferior. If it is inferior, the creditor will not accept it; but if he agrees, there is no objection. If it is superior, the debtor will not agree; but if he agrees, there is no objection.

His statement, “No deferred debt may be demanded,” means that the debtor is not required to pay a deferred debt until its term falls due. The evidence for this is the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him: “Muslims are bound by their conditions” (1). The creditor has agreed to defer the debt, so he must wait until the appointed term falls due. Once it falls due, the rulings mentioned previously apply; that is, it becomes like a debt payable immediately.

“Whoever’s property is insufficient to meet the debts currently due from him must be placed under legal interdiction, upon the request of his creditors or some of them. It is recommended that this be publicly announced. After the interdiction, his transactions involving his property are not legally effective, nor is any acknowledgment he makes against it. Whoever sells him something or lends him something after that may recover it if he was unaware of the interdiction; otherwise, he may not.”

His statement, “Whoever’s property is insufficient to meet the debts currently due from him must be placed under legal interdiction,” refers to the third category. An example is a man who possesses a thousand riyals while he owes—

(1) Its source has been cited previously on p. 18.

وهي ما تأخذه الحكومة تعزيراً، فهل يجوز أن نشتريه إذا عرض للبيع؟ نعم يجوز؛ لأنها أخذت بحق مثل السيارات والأراضي ونحوها. وقوله: «باعه الحاكم» هذا مقيد بما إذا لم يكن المال عنده من جنس الدين، فإن كان من جنس الدين فلا حاجة لبيعه. مثاله: رجل يُطْلَبُ منه مائة صاع بر، وعنده مائة صاع بر، إذاً ماله الآن قدر دينه فلا يحجر عليه، ومن جنس دينه فلا يباع، اللهم إلا أن يكون ما في ذمته موصوفاً بصفات لا توجد في هذا البر الذي عنده، فحينئذٍ لا بد من بيعه، سواء كان الذي عنده أطيب أو أردأ، إن كان أردأ فإن صاحب الحق لا يرضى، وإن رضي فلا حرج، وإن كان أطيب فإن المدين لا يرضى وإن رضي فلا حرج. قوله: «ولا يطالب بمؤجل» يعني أن المدين لا يطلب ولا يطالب ـ أيضاً ـ بمؤجل حتى يحل أجله، ودليل ذلك قول النبي ﷺ: «المسلمون على شروطهم» (١)، وصاحب الدين قد رضي بتأجيله، فيجب عليه الانتظار حتى يحل الأجل، فإذا حل الأجل عملنا ما سبق، يعني صار كالحال. وَمَنْ مَالُهُ لَا يَفِي بِمَا عَلَيْهِ حَالًّا وَجَبَ الحَجْرُ عَلَيْهِ بِسُؤَالِ غُرَمَائِهِ أَوْ بَعْضِهِمْ وَيُسْتَحَبُّ إِظْهَارُهُ، وَلَا يَنْفُذُ تَصَرُّفُهُ فِي مَالِهِ بَعْدَ الحَجْرِ، وَلَا إِقْرَارُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ بَاعَهُ أَوْ أَقْرَضَهُ شَيْئاً بَعْدَهُ رَجَعَ فِيهِ إِنْ جَهِلَ حَجْرَهُ وَإِلاَّ فَلَا، قوله: «ومن ماله لا يفي بما عليه حالًّا وجب الحجر عليه» هذا هو القسم الثالث، مثاله: رجل له ألف ريال وهو مطلوب

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (١٨).