FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
AL-KAFI #1481 : HUKUM MENGENAKAN DENDA KERANA LEWAT MEMULANGKAN BARANG PINJAMAN
Is a fine for returning a borrowed library or school resource centre book late considered riba?
Short answer
A fine for returning borrowed items late, such as library books, is not riba even though the amount increases with each day.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A fine for returning borrowed items late, such as library books, is not riba even though the amount increases with each day. The payment is compensation for using the item beyond the period permitted by the owner. The owner may set conditions such as a time limit, and a borrower who breaches them must pay compensation according to custom or the rate set by the owner. The fine also encourages borrowers to return items on time.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Penambahan bayaran denda apabila bertambah hari bukanlah sejenis riba.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1481 : HUKUM MENGENAKAN DENDA KERANA LEWAT MEMULANGKAN BARANG PINJAMAN”, 16 December 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3894-al-kafi-1481-hukum-mengenakan-denda-kerana-lewat-memulangkan-barang-pinjaman. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/is-late-return-fine-for-borrowed-items-riba/