Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (29/550)

He was asked:

A man provided a market guarantee for another man with his permission. When payment was demanded from him, the debtor fled, leaving the guarantor unable to produce him. The guarantor incurred financial losses as a result. Is he entitled to recover from the debtor what he lost in this matter?

He replied:

He is entitled to recover what he spent on account of his guarantee, provided that the expenditure was reasonable.

He was asked—may Allah have mercy on him:

A man guaranteed another man’s liability for a sum of money. When the sum fell due, the creditor seized the guarantor and had him imprisoned. The creditor then sought out the debtor, apprehended him and had him imprisoned. Both the guarantor and the debtor remained in prison. Is it permissible to imprison the guarantor?

He replied:

The position of Abū Hanīfa, Muhammad, al-Shāfiʿī and Imam Ahmad is that the creditor may demand payment from whichever of the two he wishes. Once he has received payment in full, he has no further claim. He may also demand payment from both of them.

وَسُئِلَ: عَمَّنْ ضَمِنَ رَجُلًا ضَمَانَ السُّوقِ بِإِذْنِهِ فَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ فَهَرَبَ حَتَّى عَجَزَ عَنْ إحْضَارِهِ وَغَرِمَ بِسَبَبِ ذَلِكَ أَمْوَالًا فَهَلْ لَهُ أَنْ يَرْجِعَ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا خَسِرَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ؟ فَأَجَابَ: لَهُ الرُّجُوعُ فِيمَا أَنْفَقَهُ بِسَبَبِ ضَمَانِهِ إذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ. وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ رَجُلٍ ضَمِنَ رَجُلًا فِي الذِّمَّةِ عَلَى مَبْلَغٍ وَعِنْدَ اسْتِحْقَاقِ الْمَبْلَغِ مَسَكَ الْغَرِيمُ الضَّامِنَ وَاعْتَقَلَهُ فِي السِّجْنِ فَطَلَبَ الْغَرِيمُ صَاحِبَ الدَّيْنِ فَأَخَذَهُ وَاعْتَقَلَهُ وَبَقِيَ الضَّامِنُ وَالْمَضْمُونُ فِي الْحَبْسِ، فَهَلْ يَجُوزُ اعْتِقَالُ الضَّامِنِ؟ فَأَجَابَ: مَذْهَبُ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَمُحَمَّدٍ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَالْإِمَامِ أَحْمَد أَنَّ لِلْغَرِيمِ أَنْ يَطْلُبَ مَنْ شَاءَ مِنْهُمَا فَإِذَا اسْتَوْفَى لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مُطَالَبَةٌ، وَلَهُ أَنْ يُطَالِبَهُمَا جَمِيعًا.