Some companies put the buyer in a pyramid scheme without him wanting that
Question: 146558
We found out from your site that with regard to companies that deal with pyramid schemes, it is permissible to deal with them, buying and selling and so on, so long as one avoids what is haraam, which is entering into these haraam pyramid schemes. But it has become apparent that some of them put the member under the supervisor, even if he did not register as a member under a supervisor in the beginning, and thus they bring him into the pyramid scheme sometime after he subscribes without him realising. What is the ruling on continuing one’s subscription in this case?.
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.
It is not permissible to join pyramid marketing schemes, because they are based on deception, gambling and consuming people’s wealth unlawfully. See the answer to question no. 97880 and what it contains of references.
If a person buys some product and does not want to enter into this scheme, but the company brings him into it, it is not permissible for him to continue subscribing, because continuing in an invalid contract is like entering into it in the first place.
Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said in his Farewell Sermon: “The riba of the Jaahiliyyah is abolished, and the first riba that I abolish is our riba, the riba of ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib; it is all abolished.” Narrated by Muslim, 1218.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that invalid riba-based contracts of the Jaahiliyyah were abolished and that it was haraam to continue with them, even though they had been drawn up before that, and in fact had been drawn up before the prohibition on them had been revealed from Allah. This is clear in the words of Allah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning):
“So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops consuming Riba, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allaah (to judge); but whoever returns (to Riba), such are the dwellers of the Fire — they will abide therein”
[al-Baqarah 2:275].
And Allah knows best.
Source:
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