Chapter on Agency

His statement: “Chapter on Agency.” It may be pronounced wakālah or wikālah, just as wilāyah may be pronounced walāyah or wilāyah. Linguistically, it means delegating a matter to another. From this is the saying of Allah, Most High: “And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of Affairs.” [al-Nisāʾ 4:132] That is, He is sufficient as the One to whom matters are entrusted. One says, “I delegated the matter to him,” meaning: I entrusted it to him.

Technically, it is the appointment by a legally competent person of another like himself to act on his behalf in matters that admit of representation.

A legally competent person is one who is free, mature, sane, and discerning—one who possesses these four qualities. Such a person appoints another like himself to act on his behalf in matters that admit of representation.

Our phrase, “in matters that admit of representation,” excludes matters that do not admit of representation. Thus, if a person appoints someone to perform ablution on his behalf, saying, “I appoint you to perform ablution for me while I pray,” this is not permissible, because it does not admit of representation. Likewise, if he appoints someone to fast on his behalf—for example, if he owes make-up fasts from Ramadan and says, “I appoint you to make them up for me”—this is not valid. It is therefore necessary that the matter be one that admits of representation.

As for its legal ruling, agency is permissible for the principal and recommended for the agent, because it involves showing kindness to one’s brother and fulfilling his need. With respect to the principal, it is permissible because it is among the transactions Allah has allowed. Its permissibility is established by the Book of Allah and the sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.

As for the Book of Allah, Allah, Most High, said concerning the Companions of the Cave: