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Islamic Finance - The Gharâr

Another thing that ought to be avoided in any transaction is something called gharar. Gharar is an Arabic word that means "ignorance" or "uncertainty," and it describes a situation in which there is a possibility that the outcome would be unfavorable to one side. This lack of information, in addition to a lack of control over the outcome of any transaction, could be the result of a misrepresentation, mistake, fraud, duress, or terms that are beyond the knowledge and control of one of the parties to the contract.

There are many examples of Gharar-based transactions that are illegal, one of which is the sale of the offspring who are still developing inside the womb of a pregnant animal. This is due to the fact that the outcome is manifestly beyond the control of the parties involved and is therefore unknown. In addition, it is against the law to sell fish in the water, birds in the air, or a horse that has gotten away from its owner. This is due to the fact that it is questionable whether or not the vendor will be able to deliver the items in question.

​In practical terms, the term "gharar" refers to potential concerns over the pricing, delivery, quantity, and quality of assets. These are all transactionally-based concerns that could influence the degree to which the parties to a contract assent to certain terms. Because an option's underlying shares are not ascertainable and price, for instance, one cannot acquire an option at a specific price in order to obtain the right to purchase those shares. This is because an option is uncertain. A choice is the same thing as a right. It is not a valuable item whose requirements are understandable and within reach. Because both the premium that policyholders are required to pay and the indemnity that the insurer is required to pay out in the event of a claim are subject to the same level of uncertainty in conventional insurance, Islamic law does not recognize conventional insurance as valid.

​In contrast to Riba, whose value is established according to a predetermined formula that was just covered, the value of Gharar is established according to a number of different criteria. This is due to the fact that the parameters of knowledge or permission, as well as society's tolerance for risk, are not set in stone. First and foremost, Islamic business law has acknowledged the distinction between big uncertainty (Gharar Fahish), which must be avoided at all times, and minor uncertainty (Gharar Yasir), which is tolerated by society. Gharar Fahish is the term for significant uncertainty, and it is this type of doubt that must be avoided. The fact that people in some countries are expected to pay a set fee in order to make use of public restrooms is illustrative of the degree of tolerance that exists in those societies. The society is willing to settle for variable levels of utilization of utilities in exchange for a regular payment that is always the same amount.
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