Ju'ala (task reward)

The ruling of ju'ala

Ju'ala: promising a reward to whoever performs a work of often uncertain result (finding a runaway, a lost object). The four schools agree on its lawfulness for the return of the runaway slave, and Ibn Qudamah knows no dissenting scholar on ju'ala in general. Evidence: the verse of Joseph: "and for whoever brings it, a camel's load" (sura Yusuf 72), a known load among them; and the story of the healing Companions: "grant us a ju'ala"; the Prophet then said: "you have done right; share it, and set aside a share for me" (al-Bukhari 2156, Muslim 2201). The reason: the work may be unknown, hire becoming impossible; ju'ala, being non-binding, tolerates the unknown.

The differences with ijara

• A revocable contract before the work (Malikis, Shafi'is, Hanbalis); if the promiser withdraws after the worker has taken hold of the work, he owes him the equivalent wage.
• An undescribed work is admitted: "whoever brings back my slave will have so much" stands; ijara requires description.
• No term required (Shafi'is, Hanbalis); the Malikis forbid fixing a deadline, the work having to finish before it, or the gharar grows.
• The worker need not be named; the work itself counts as acceptance (Malikis, Shafi'is, Hanbalis).
• The ju'l is earned only on completion (Malikis, Shafi'is); stipulating its advance payment corrupts the contract, the worker falling back on the equivalent wage.

The conditions of the ju'l

The ju'l must be known for the majority (Malikis, Shafi'is, the Hanbali madhhab); Ibn Qudamah tolerates a partial ju'l ("half of my slave for whoever brings him back") when the unknown does not prevent delivery; Ibn Arafa holds that case invalid, giving then the equivalent wage. Ibn Rushd validates the fixed-rate commission ("sell it for ten dinars, you will have a sixth of each dinar") and declares unlawful the commission without a capped price. The work must be lawful: no ju'l on singing or the flute (sura al-Ma'ida 2); ju'ala covers what ijara covers, and more what ijara refuses for being unknown (an-Nawawi).

Notable cases

One who acted before hearing the promise receives nothing (Shafi'is, Hanbalis, Ibn al-Qasim); the Maliki grants him the equivalent wage if he is of those who habitually seek runaways. One who hears the promise during the work earns the share of the remaining work (Hanbalis). If several bring it back together, they share the ju'l by heads when the call is general (Shafi'is); one who helps a named worker takes nothing without an agreement between them (as-Subki). The promiser may increase, reduce or change the ju'l before the work begins (Shafi'is, Hanbalis); after the start, the worker falls back on the equivalent wage.

Practical note

Search bounties and finder rewards: ju'ala frames them, the reward following the result, promising nothing to whoever has not worked.