Dealing with the client directly and eliminating the mediator

11-10-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

As-Salam O Aleykum, I will ask my question by presenting the scenario in the simplest possible format 1. Mr. Sadiq called us saying “There is a project from the client. Would you be interested ?” 2. We said yes. The talks moves on and Sadiq introduces us to the client and the project discussion starts. Please Note: Mr Sadiq is the client for us. We are supposed to bill Mr. Sadiq and Mr. Sadiq will bill the client at what ever rate he prefers. 3. We present the quote to Mr. Sadiq for the project. 4. Mr. Sadiq does not accept the quote as it does not leave him with enough margins. He calls it off with us. 5. The client calls us and asks “Would it hurt your relationship with Mr. Sadiq if we give the project directly to you ?”. We say “No it does not” and we took the project Few more facts 1. We have no No-Competition agreement with Mr. Sadiq 2. We never called up the end client directly showing any interest in the project 3. When client contacted us, we did not under quote the price infact we charged more than what we had proposed to Mr. Sadiq. 4. We have informed Mr. Sadiq that we the client has given the project directly. 5. We offered Mr. Sadiq a finder fee which he has not yet accepted or rejected. He said he will think about it. 6. It is quite obvious that Mr. Sadiq has is unhappy about his loss of business. However, he is in talking terms with us and has no intention of hampering our business prospects with the client. My Question We hope that our acceptance of the project directly from the client (we never called client, they called us) is not illegitimate under the jurisdiction of Shariah

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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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm on you in this transaction or in dealing directly with the client. If the mediator (Mr. Sadiq in your case) deserves a commission for his efforts, then he is entitled to take it. You did well by offering him a commission and you bear no sin if he refuses to accept it.

Allaah Knows best.