Can I Use the Proceeds from Selling My Guitar?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question

I sold a guitar and used some of the proceeds, along with my own income, to buy a bicycle. I later learned that selling haram items is considered void (batil). Does this affect my ownership of the bicycle, and can I continue to use it?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

According to the relied-upon view (m‘utamad) within the Shafi‘i Madhhab, the sale of musical instruments are considered impermissible given that they have no legal benefit.[Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj]. Consequently, the proceeds from such a sale are also considered invalid.

Alternate view

The weaker opinion in the Shafi‘i Madhhab states that if the individual components of a musical instrument have a recognized utility, the sale of that instrument is valid. [Khatib, Mughni al-Muhtaj]. By extension, the proceeds of such a sale are also valid.

[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Mohammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah).

He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door for students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life. 

In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari’ah Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.