Subleasing Of Rented Rooms

   What is the ruling from religious scholars regarding subletting rooms for a higher rent than the original rent? For example, if someone rents an entire floor with five rooms for 1000 riyals, can he then sublet it for 2500 riyals? If this isn’t allowed, what alternative options are there?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   In this situation, subletting the rooms for 2500 riyals when they were initially rented for 1000 riyals is not permissible. According to Islamic law, any increase in rent needs to correspond with an added benefit. Since no additional value is provided in this case, the agreement is considered impermissible.

   However, there are three permissible ways to sublet at a higher rate and they are as follows:

1.              If you make enhancements that stay with the property and increase its value—like repainting the rooms or adding something inside the rooms like installing a doorbell or camera etc—then charging a higher rent is allowed.

2.              If you receive the rental in different genus other than the genus in which you pay , then charging more is allowed.

3.              If you rent out rooms and along with them you also rent out some other items—like normal tables and chairs in each room— and charge a combined rent for both the rooms and furniture, then charging a higher rent is allowed.

   The book Durrul-Mukhtar states,

”ولو آجر بأكثر تصدق بالفضل إلا في مسألتين: إذا آجرها بخلاف الجنس أو أصلح فيها شيئا“

   Translation: If a tenant sublets for a higher rent, he should give the extra amount in charity unless he charges in a different genus or has made improvements to the property.(Durrul-Mukhtar, Vol. 6, p. 29, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

   Allamah Shami (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) while further elaborating the sentence " أو أصلح فيها شيئا" writes:

”بأن جصصها أو فعل فيها مسناة وكذا كل عمل قائم“

   Translation: The improvement could be something which would stay with the building like plastering the walls or adding a parapet.”(Radd-ul-Muhtar, Vol. 9, p. 29, Dar-ul-Fikr, Beirut).

   Radd-ul-Muhtar also emphasizes that charging more is only permitted when there is something additional provided in return:

”الزيادة بمقابلة ما زاد من عنده “

   Translation: The increase in rent is permissible provided there is an addition by the tenant against the extra rent.(Radd-ul-Muhtar, Vol. 9, p. 48, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut).

   In "Fatawa Razawiyya," Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ) while answering a question regarding the permissibility of sub-leasing at a higher amount, writes:

   ’’ زیادہ لینا صرف تین صورت میں جائز ہوسکتاہے ورنہ حرام:

1.               زمین میں نہر یا کنواں کھودے یا اور کوئی زیادت ایسی کرے جس سے اس کی حیثیت بڑھائے ۔۔۔۔

2.                جس شے کے عوض خود اجارہ پرلی ہے اس کے خلاف جنس کے اجارہ کو دے۔۔۔۔

3.               زمین کے ساتھ کوئی اور شے ملاکر مجموعاً زیادہ کرائے پر دے کہ اب یہ سمجھا جائے گا کہ زمین تو وہی روپیہ بیگھ کو دی گئی اور باقی زیادت جس قدر ہو دوسری شے کے عوض رہے۔‘‘

   Translation: Charging a higher rent is permissible in only three cases; otherwise, it is haram:

1.              If an improvement is made to the land, such as digging a canal or well, or any other addition that increases its value...

2.              If the item is subleased against the payment of a different genus of asset than the one it was paid by him for renting initially...

3.                If another item is added to the land and then rented together at a higher rate, in this case it will be considered that the land was rented on a Rupee per Bigha (an Indian land measurement unit), and the additional rent pertains to the other item. Allah knows the best.(Fatawa Razawiyya, Vol. 19, Page 489, Raza Foundation, Lahore, Summarised)

   In "Bahar-e-Shariat," it is mentioned:

   ”مستاجر(کرایہ دار)نے مکان یا دکان کوکرایہ پر دیدیا اگر اُتنے ہی کرایہ پردیا ہے جتنے میں خود لیا تھا یاکم پر جب تو خیر اور زائد پر دیا ہے تو جوکچھ زیادہ ہے اسے صدقہ کردے ہاں اگرمکان میں اصلاح کی ہو اسے ٹھیک ٹھاک کیا ہو تو زائد کا صدقہ کرنا ضرور نہیں یا کرایہ  کی جنس بدل گئی مثلاً:لیا تھا روپے پر،دیا ہو اشرفی پر، اب بھی زیادتی جائز ہے۔ جھاڑودیکرمکان کو صاف کرلینایہ اصلاح نہیں ہے کہ زیادہ والی رقم جائز ہوجائے۔  اصلاح سے مراد یہ ہے کہ کوئی ایسا کام کرے جو عمارت کے ساتھ قائم ہو مثلاًپلاستر کرایا یا مونڈیر بنوائی۔“

   Translation: If a tenant rents out a house or shop for the same rent or less, it is fine. However, if it is sub-leased for a higher amount, the excess should be given in charity. However, if an improvement is made in the house, then the excess does not need to be given in charity, or if the type of rental has changed, such as it was in silver coins initially, but it was sub-leased in gold coins, then the excess is permissible. But bear in mind that just cleaning a house by sweeping it thoroughly is not an improvement which allows increase in rent. Here, improvement refers to something which stays with the building like plastering the walls or erecting parapet.(Bahar-e-Shariat, Vol. 3, Page 124, Maktaba-tul-Madina, Karachi)

Answered By: Abu Muhammad Mufti Ali Asghar Attari Madani

Ref No: IEC-0092

Date: 7 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1445 AH / 23 October 2023

Translated by Maulana Abdul wajid madani

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم