What is the ruling on selling housing units under the rent-to-own system before acquiring full ownership, where the "key to the unit" is sold and the buyer undertakes to pay the remaining installments?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
For the permissibility of a lease ending in ownership ( muntahiyah bi al-tamlik), it is stipulated that the contracts of sale and lease be separate, that the lease be actual, and that the guarantee and non-operational maintenance be the responsibility of the lessor, along with the application of the rulings of leasing, then selling. As for selling a dwelling before taking possession of its ownership, it is not permissible, due to the Shariah's prohibition of selling what one does not own. Naming it "key money sale" or "khulw consideration" does not change this ruling.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/89875
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 89875
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy