In a tough economy where prices are increasingly soaring, people are always looking for alternative ways to make a decent living. To buy a house, a car, a property, or even set up a business, people who cannot opt to make purchases on direct cash have other options available in the market.
Sometimes, people look to make outright purchases and cannot wait for years to buy a car. In such cases, schemes like car financing are the alternative ways they can opt for. But most of these alternative ways are not liable or permissible for Muslims as guided by the Islamic rules and guidelines.
In this article, we will be talking about car financing and is it halal or haram for Muslims?
is car financing halal or notBut first, let’s understand what car financing is!
What is Car Financing?
Car financing refers to a set of disciplines or ways that enable a man to purchase a car in different ways than direct cash. Car financing includes everything from car loans to leases a man takes to purchase a final product. These loans or leases are issued if a man wants to make an immediate purchase.
But are loans and leases halal for Muslims? Keep reading to know!
Is Car Financing Halal?
To answer it straightforwardly, it depends!
Car financing can only be halal if the financing is interest-free and ensures that the person getting the money uses it widely. Other than that, car financing is ‘halal’ if the money or payback methods for that financing are spread in an even way and free of Interest.
In many cases, car financing can be enjoyed by Muslims if the shari’ah and interest rules, as guided in Islam, are being taken care of. There must also not be as little speculation of the Islamic rule being broken through the car financing way chosen.
If you are looking for a halal way to finance your car other than direct cash, various options are compliant with the Shari’ah laws. These laws and financing ways make sure that the laws of the Sharia are not being broken and help those looking to buy cars through methods other than cash.
Sharia’h Laws Related to Car Financing
Before you decide, it is essential to know the basic Islamic rules and guidelines related to car financing methods. Typically, there are two basic laws:
1- Riba
Interest or receipts of interest is the first thing that is prohibited in Islamic laws or guidelines. The concept of Riba or Interest is considered haram in Islam, which is why it makes most of the car financing ways haram for Muslims too. This means that a car financing way that does not include an APR (Annual percentage rate) is not liable or permissible for Muslims.
But with the growing need for a means of transport and tough economies, not everyone can buy a car on direct cash. Hence, Islamic banks have come up with different Sharia’h compliant car financing ways without the attachment of Riba or Interest.
2- Simple Contracts
Another important rule or guideline in car financing stated by Islamic teaching is the simplicity of contracts. This means that Islam bounds and encourages us to make contracts based on honesty, clarity, and transparency.
Islam guides us to make and abide by contracts that include no risks, speculations, or even gambling hints. It is mandatory for the contract to be easily interpretable and fair for both parties equally.
What is Meant by Halal Car Financing?
Halal car financing is any way of financing that includes a straightforward, fair, and unambiguous loan agreement between two parties.
Halal car financing includes a loan agreement that is easily interpretable and fair for both parties, free of any interest rate. In Sharia’h compliant car financing ways, the buyer and the seller of the car both must be fairly and clearly agree on the price and value of the car that it is being sold on.
In these halal car financing ways, the seller does not impose any interest or extra charges on top of th actual price, which banks or car sellers usually do to make money.
In place of this, the seller moderately increases the car’s value price up a notch, including the interest payments and makes a fair profit that abides by the Sharia’h law. In such car financing ways, the car seller or the bank does not charge any interest on top of the actual price.
Options for Halal Car Financing
Prevalent, traditional, and recurring ways of car financing that have been practiced in our society for far too long do not comply with the Islamic Sharia’h law.
Some of the most commonly used car financing ways that always come with an Annual Percentage Rate are ‘Personal Contracts’ and ‘Hire Purchase Agreements.’
Car financing ways that include no form of Interest or Annual Percentage Rate are halal for Muslims. In comparison, any option that includes Interest or Riba becomes haram for the Muslim community.
Final Word
In the end, it is crucial to keep in mind that each hire purchase agreement or personal contract is different from the other. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of the customer to comply with Shari’ah laws and ensure that they inspect the service fees and terms of the agreement beforehand.
If you are looking to purchase a car. In that case, there is an array of Halal or Shari’ah car financing ways available in the market. Try to explore those before you go to traditional bank car financing ways that include the concept of Riba.
