Is It Permissible to Charge for Helping Obtain Land Acquisition Compensation?

Mostafizur Rahman
Via email

Question: In our area, people often have to pay brokers or office staff a commission or bribe of 5–10% to receive compensation for acquired land. For compensation amounts of Tk 15–20 lakh, this can mean paying a substantial sum.

Land belonging to my married sister and my brothers was also acquired. Some of the acquired land belonged to both my brothers and me. Since my siblings did not understand the process, I helped them obtain their compensation at a much lower cost than what brokers would have charged.

I collected some money from them for expenses and travel. The process required my labour and time, and I also had to pay some money at the office. Initially, I tried to complete the work without making such payments, but nothing progressed and new problems kept arising.

I charged my sister a fixed amount and told her I would complete the process within that amount, which I did. After collecting the compensation for my brothers, I asked them to pay Tk 10,000 to cover all expenses. The amount I received was slightly higher than my total expenditure. Was it permissible for me to collect money in this way? I would appreciate your guidance.

Answer: Any lawful service provided in exchange for labour, time and expertise is permissible, whether the agreed payment is small or large, provided both parties consent. In this case, you received an agreed fee for the services you provided. Therefore, the payment is permissible.

Answered by: Allama Mufti Ubaidur Rahman Khan Nadvi
Source: Jameul Fatawa, an encyclopaedia of Islamic jurisprudence and fatwas.

To submit a question: inqilabqna@gmail.com