Question
_____ is a store that offers customers at the time of buying a warranty cover for a small extra charge; for example, for an extra charge of £10 you can get a 3 year cover for the sofa.
Just before paying they ask if you would like to pay the extra charge for this cover. Alternatively I can just pay for the sofa and save £10. Is it permissible to pay the extra charge and get the cover or would this be considered insurance with the stores finance department or whatever company they use to insure?
Answer
If the seller adds and includes the extended warranty amount of 10 Pounds into the selling price (from their side) and then sells the appliance to you with a 3-year extended warranty, then there is no harm in doing so. For example, the sofa was selling for 500 Pounds. The salesman sells the sofa to you for 510 Pounds with a 3-year warranty (at the time of concluding the deal) then it will acceptable. This will mean that the purchase price will now be considered to be R510 Pounds with the 3-year warranty thrown in as an added bonus.
However, if you have already purchased the sofa for 500 Pounds and later (after having already concluded the deal for 500 Pounds), decide to extend the warranty for an additional amount of 10 Pounds then this will not be permissible as it is tantamount to subscribing separately to a contract that is akin to an insurance policy.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.