18th December 2017
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: Many people nowadays when purchasing a property, they put their next of kin’s name onto that property. This is done usually for specific reasons but the original buyer still maintains all financial responsibilities towards the property. For instance, my father purchased a land with a property back home and transferred them both onto his wife’s (my mother’s) name for tax evasion purposes. My mother only bears her name on the land and property but my father is the one who still maintains the property and deals will all financial expenditure and income such as rent. My question is Islamically, who is considered the owner of the land and property and if one dies before the other then in whose estate will the land and property fall under?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
As a general rule, proprietorship (full-ownership) is established through transferal of a property [or asset] onto someone else with the intention of ownership. This is known as Hiba (gift) in Islām. This is usually indicated through the donor’s words such as, I’ve gifted this to you, I’ve made you the owner of this, this belongs to you now etc.[1] Such statements or similar to them indicate to relinquishing his rights over that asset for someone else.[2] This simply means the recipient now has full control over the asset and the donor no longer has anything to do with it.
In reference to your particular case, merely transferring name of land & property to next of kin is insufficient and doesn’t make them the proprietor Islamically unless the intention of transferring complete ownership or gift is present as explained above.[3] Your father transferring them both onto your mother’s name solely for tax evasion is an indication that he has not made her the sole owner. Therefore, your father still reserves all rights over the property and land and both will be included in his estate after his death regardless of whoever dies first from your parents.
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Badai Sanai Kitābul Hiba, Ruknul Hiba, vol 8, p. 86-7
فَالْإِيجَابُ هُوَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الْوَاهِبُ وَهَبْتُ هَذَا الشَّيْءَ لَكَ أَوْ مَلَّكْتُهُ مِنْكَ أَوْ جَعَلْتُهُ لَكَ أَوْ هُوَ لَكَ أَوْ أَعْطَيْتُهُ أَوْ نَحَلْتُهُ أَوْ أَهْدَيْتُهُ إلَيْكَ أَوْ أَطْعَمْتُكَ هَذَا الطَّعَامَ أَوْ حَمَلْتُكَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الدَّابَّةِ وَنَوَى بِهِ الْهِبَةَ.
[2] Fatawa Hindiyyah, Kitābul Hiba, Bābul Awwal Tafseerul Hiba wa ruknuha., vol 4, p. 418
وَهِيَ نَوْعَانِ: تَمْلِيكٌ وَإِسْقَاطٌ وَعَلَيْهِمَا الْإِجْمَاعُ، كَذَا فِي خِزَانَةِ الْمُفْتِينَ.
[3] Durr wa Ibn Ābideen Shami p. 689 vol 5 – Shamila
(وَتَصِحُّ بِإِيجَابٍ كَ وَهَبْت وَنَحَلْت وَأَطْعَمْتُك هَذَا الطَّعَامَ وَلَوْ) ذَلِكَ (عَلَى وَجْهِ الْمِزَاحِ) بِخِلَافِ أَطْعَمْتُك أَرْضِي فَإِنَّهُ عَارِيَّةٌ لِرَقَبَتِهَا وَإِطْعَامٌ لِغَلَّتِهَا بَحْرٌ (أَوْ الْإِضَافَةِ إلَى مَا) أَيْ إلَى جُزْءٍ (يُعَبَّرُ بِهِ عَنْ الْكُلِّ كَ وَهَبْت لَك فَرْجَهَا وَجَعَلْته لَك) لِأَنَّ اللَّامَ لِلتَّمْلِيكِ بِخِلَافِ جَعَلْته بِاسْمِك فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِهِبَةٍ
(وَقَوْلُهُ: بِخِلَافِ جَعَلْته بِاسْمِك) قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ: قُيِّدَ بِقَوْلِهِ: لَكَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ قَالَ: جَعَلْته بِاسْمِك، لَا يَكُونُ هِبَةً؛ وَلِهَذَا قَالَ فِي الْخُلَاصَةِ: لَوْ غَرَسَ لِابْنِهِ كَرْمًا إنْ قَالَ: جَعَلْته لِابْنِي، يَكُونُ هِبَةً، وَإِنْ قَالَ: بِاسْمِ ابْنِي، لَا يَكُونُ هِبَةً، وَلَوْ قَالَ: أَغْرِسُ بِاسْمِ ابْنِي، فَالْأَمْرُ مُتَرَدِّدٌ، وَهُوَ إلَى الصِّحَّةِ أَقْرَبُ اهـ.
وَفِي الْمَتْنِ مِنْ الْخَانِيَّةِ بَعْدَ هَذَا قَالَ: جَعَلْته لِابْنِي فُلَانٍ، يَكُونُ هِبَةً؛ لِأَنَّ الْجَعْلَ عِبَارَةٌ عَنْ التَّمْلِيكِ، وَإِنْ قَالَ: أَغْرِسُ بِاسْمِ ابْنِي، لَا يَكُونُ هِبَةً، وَإِنْ قَالَ: جَعَلْته بِاسْمِ ابْنِي، يَكُونُ هِبَةً؛ لِأَنَّ النَّاسَ يُرِيدُونَ بِهِ التَّمْلِيكَ وَالْهِبَةَ اهـ.