Are Return Policies Permissible and Can One Make Use of Them?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Are return policies permissible? If someone buys something from a store and is reasonably sure that he will return it within 30 days, as stated in the return policy, would it be sinful to buy such an item?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate

Walaikum assalam,

Return policies are permissible to stipulate in contracts, as they are from standard market practice (`urf), and do not violate Shariah principles. [Taqi Usmani, Dars Tirmizi and elsewhere]

Buying something that has a return policy with the intention of returning it would return to standard market practice (`urf and ta`amul) in terms of whether it is acceptable or not–though it would not seem to be from proper conduct.

And Allah alone gives success.

Faraz Rabbani

(Originally answered on the SeekersGuidance Academy’s Islamic Law for Seekers: Transactions Course Forum)