Taking sale commission without employer knowing

22-12-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am working in a company in the post of secretary for which the company is paying me salary. One of our spare parts supplier is giving me commission for each purchase of spare parts through his trading company. For this he need to know the prices quoted by other suppliers, this information is given by me to him for all the purchase, and accordingly he is quoting after reducing his price to obtain the order. Always he is giving better price than other suppliers and genuine parts. But the management of my company does not know that I have a contact with this supplier and I am getting the commission. Is this earning is allowed or haram ?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.

It is not permissible for you to take this commission without permission from the company you work for because gifts and commissions for the employee without the permission of the employer are not permissible. The Prophet said: “The gifts of employees are unlawful taking of spoils.” [Ahmad - Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh (sound)]

Ibn Qudaamah said in Al-Mughni: “Imaam Ahmad said in a narration by Muhanna: “If a garment is given to a man to sell it, and he did so, and the buyer gifted him a handkerchief, then the handkerchief is for the owner of the garment.” He said so because the gift of the handkerchief was made because of the sale, so the handkerchief was an increase in price, and any price increases made during the contract negotiation should be included in it.” [End of quote]

Allaah Knows best.