Batil
Batil names an act or contract lacking a pillar or condition of its formation, producing no legal effect.
What it means for me: Batil means there is nothing to preserve. Whatever changed hands gets returned, and the situation is treated as though the contract never existed in the first place.
Example: A man learns, months later, that a contract he signed was void from the start. His question becomes how to unwind it and return what was taken, not whether he was rewarded for keeping it.
Do not confuse with: Fasid, defective. The majority treat the two as one meaning. The Hanafi school reserves batil for a missing pillar and fasid for a flawed condition.
If scholars differ: The majority treat batil and fasid as synonyms in transactions. The Hanafi school separates them: batil is a defect in the contract's basic elements, fasid a defect in one attached condition. See know the ruling before you sign.
Related terms
See the term in context
Is the prayer of one warding off hunger considered disliked (makruh) or invalid (batil), especially if thoughts of food preoccupy the worshiper even if they are not hungry? Is the ruling for someone who feels the need to urinate frequently after relieving themselves to ignore this feeling, and must they renew their ablution (wudu') and purification (istinaj) each time? Does prayer become invalid due to excessive blinking, and is closing one's eyes a solution for someone experiencing these thoughts during prayer?
The prayer of one who is thinking about food is valid. However, it is disliked for one who has food presented to them, and they desire it, to pray if there is sufficient time for the prayer, due to the Prophet’s (peace…
What is the ruling on saying the phrase "ya batil" (oh falsehood/vain) if it is used for expressing astonishment or discomfort, and is not intended as a plea for help or a direct address?
If the situation is as described, then such a phrase has no relation to the forbidden seeking of aid from other than Allah. The metaphorical calling upon things is not part of polytheistic seeking of aid, and there is…
What is the ruling on the marriage of a previously married woman (thayyib) that took place عرفيًا (customarily/unofficially) with the assistance of a ma'dhun (marriage official), where the ma'dhun acted as the first witness and his lawyer as the second witness, and no one knew about this marriage? And is divorce obligatory for the wife if the marriage is invalid (batil) or corrupt (fasid)?
Marriage without a guardian (wali) is invalid according to the majority of scholars, and it is considered a فاسد (corrupt/irregular) marriage. However, it is valid according to the Hanafis if the contract is concluded…
Questions that use it
Is the prayer of one warding off hunger considered disliked (makruh) or invalid (batil), especially if thoughts of food preoccupy the worshiper even if they are not hungry? Is the ruling for someone who feels the need to urinate frequently after relieving themselves to ignore this feeling, and must they renew their ablution (wudu') and purification (istinaj) each time? Does prayer become invalid due to excessive blinking, and is closing one's eyes a solution for someone experiencing these thoughts during prayer?
What is the ruling on saying the phrase "ya batil" (oh falsehood/vain) if it is used for expressing astonishment or discomfort, and is not intended as a plea for help or a direct address?
What is the ruling on the marriage of a previously married woman (thayyib) that took place عرفيًا (customarily/unofficially) with the assistance of a ma'dhun (marriage official), where the ma'dhun acted as the first witness and his lawyer as the second witness, and no one knew about this marriage? And is divorce obligatory for the wife if the marriage is invalid (batil) or corrupt (fasid)?
Will my marriage be halal (permissible) or batil (void) if I marry the girl I love, after having decided to stay away from her and fall out with her family because I could not declare my love for her, knowing that we still harbor strong feelings of love for each other?
What is the refutation to the accusation by some misguided groups that there are talismans for sorcery in the books of the Sunnis, with reference to the existence of certain texts in books such as "Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra by al-Buni," "Al-Rahmah fi al-Tibb wal-Hikmah by al-Suyuti," "Al-Ajwibah al-Mardiyah by al-Sakhawi," "Fath al-Bari by Ibn Hajar," and "Al-Sirr al-Maktum by Fakhr al-Din al-Razi"?
If the marriage was invalid and was annulled or divorce occurred because of it, is the waiting period (iddah) one menstrual cycle or three menstrual cycles?