Wage for harvesting a field (lai)

Question

Question: The wheat crop is being cut at this time, and those who go to cut it are given by the owner in the evening a payment for their labour that is called “lai”, which has no weighing of any kind. Is this permissible or impermissible? Is reaping for “lai” permissible or impermissible? How can eating it be proper, and in what way is reaping proper? If there is any way, please do write it.

Answer

Wages for reaping a crop are permissible if the wage is fixed. If, however, someone did not fix the wage, and when the payment for labour was given a dispute arose — the labourer said that this is too little, and the owner said that it is not too little but rather more — then this is an ijara fasida (invalid hire)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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