What are the Sharīʿah rulings regarding the expenditure of investors' funds in joint-stock companies on corporate social responsibility activities, and is this permissible in Islam to begin with?

The company is founded on the principles of agency and trust. An agent is not permitted to act outside the scope of the principal's authorization and interest. Therefore, a partner is not allowed to spend any of the company's funds on anything other than the trade's interest, unless with the partners' permission. Ibn Qudamah stated in Al-Mughni: "The 'inan partnership is based on agency and trust, because each of them entrusts their money to the other... And he (the partner) is not allowed to emancipate slaves through contract (mukātabah)... because the partnership is formed for trade, and these types (of actions) are not trade... And he is not allowed to lend or show favoritism, because it is a donation, and he is not allowed to donate." Accordingly, corporate social responsibility, which involves the company donating money for charitable causes and benefiting society, requires the partners' permission, unless the donation is for a small amount that is customarily overlooked. It is stated in the Shariah Standards of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI): "The partner is not allowed to dispose of anything that does not benefit the company, or that causes harm, such as a gift or a loan, except with the partners' permission, or for small amounts and short periods, according to custom."