Fatwa No : 82072
What is the ruling on fixing a percentage of salary for a salesman?

What is the ruling on fixing a percentage of salary for a salesman?

Assalamu Alaikum!
(1) In our business, the salesman is not given a fixed salary. Rather, whatever amount he collects from the parties in a month, he receives a 3.5% commission of that amount. Kindly inform us, in the light of the Qur’an and Hadith and according to your opinion, whether it is appropriate that the one who works hard does not even know how much salary he will receive? (2) We want to adopt a policy in which we will give our shopkeeper a target that within a specific period he must purchase goods from us of a specific amount or more, and the payment for the goods—whatever period is agreed upon, whether in advance or on credit—must be paid within that period. If he succeeds in doing so, we will give him a discount or a gift or benefit him in both ways. Shopkeepers will also have this facility that if they pay us the agreed amount, they can take the goods as per their convenience. What is the opinion of the honorable scholars, in the light of the Qur’an and Hadith, about adopting such a policy? Kindly inform us. Jazakallah.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

Giving commission to a salesman is permissible since it is a defined amount; however, it is better to fix a formal daily or monthly salary for such a person.
If, in the mentioned method of buying and selling, the price of the item is not charged higher than the normal market rate, then in this case there is scope to give benefit to the shopkeeper through the mentioned method.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافي الدر المختار: فكل ما أفسد البيع) مما مر (يفسدها) كجهالة مأجور أو أجرة أو مدة أو عمل، وكشرط طعام عبد وعلف دابة اھ (6/ 46)-
وفي حاشية ابن عابدين: (قوله أو مدة) إلا فيما استثنى: قال في البزازية: إجارة السمسار والمنادي والحمامي والصكاك وما لا يقدر فيه الوقت ولا العمل تجوز لما كان للناس به حاجة ويطيب الأجر المأخوذ لو قدر أجر المثل وذكر أصلا يستخرج منه كثير من المسائل فراجعه في نوع المتفرقات والأجرة على المعاصي. (6/ 47)-