The service of a washerman and others and their wage

Question

Question: In some places it is the custom that the tailor, the washerman, the barber, the carpenter and the like are given some land free of rent, or a specific quantity of grain is fixed for them, and in return work is taken from them as many times as the need for work arises throughout that year, whether that income is less or more than the annual wage for his work, if he does it willingly? Kindly favour us with an answer and give us the occasion to express our thanks.

Answer

In this case, since the details of the work are not known, which gives rise to dispute, this is an ijara fasida (invalid lease). But if somewhere this is a common custom (‘urf), the hired worker and the hirer understand the transaction well at the time of the contract, and no uncertainty leading to dispute remains, then there this transaction will be deemed permissible:…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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