Inma (the growth of property by trade, husbandry or increase, and its rulings; also the game that goes out of sight)

الإنماء

Inma is lexically the causing of an increase, and growth is an increase, either real, as by birth or trade, or assumed, as by property remaining in one's hand. ¹ It is narrower than ziyada, since ziyada may come from outside while inma comes from the thing itself. ² Growing property is lawful: the law allowed sale, trade, partnership and mudaraba, and the preservation of property is one of its purposes. ³⁴ Its ruling depends on the intention: it is obligatory to gain enough for oneself and dependants, recommended beyond that to help the poor, permitted for comfort, and disliked for boasting and rivalry. ⁴⁵ One who has control of property without owning it, such as a guardian, executor, agent, judge or supervisor, may grow it by lawful authority. ⁵⁶ Growth by what is unlawful, such as usury, gambling or trade in wine, is forbidden. ⁷ The other sense, the going out of sight of game after it is shot, is treated in the entry on hunting, with the disputed view of Ibn Abbas. ⁷⁸

Definition

Inma is lexically the causing of an increase: the reflexive verb of nama, meaning to grow. Growth is an increase, either real, as by birth or trade, or assumed, as by property remaining in one's hand or that of an agent. ¹

Related terms

Tathmir and istithmar: investment, with the same sense. ¹
Trade: exchanging property for gain, and a means of growing it. ¹
Iktisab: seeking livelihood, which is wider than inma. ¹
Ziyada: increase that may come from outside, whereas inma comes from the thing itself. ²
Kanz (hoarding), ta'til (idleness), qinya (keeping for use) and iddikhar (saving) are their opposites. ²³

Its lawfulness

Growing property is lawful. The Qur'an allowed sale and trade (sura al-Baqara, 2:275), and the law allowed partnerships and mudaraba for this purpose; preserving property is one of its aims, and growing it is one of the means of preserving it. ³⁴

Its ruling by intention

Obligatory: to gain enough for oneself and dependants and to pay a debt. ⁴
Recommended: beyond need, to help the poor and benefit kin. ⁴
Permitted: beyond need, for comfort and display of ease. ⁵
Disliked: beyond need, for boasting and rivalry, even if lawfully gained. ⁵

For one with control but not ownership

A guardian, executor, supervisor of an endowment, agent, judge or ruler in public funds may grow the property by lawful authority, and the jurists cite hadith and reports of the Companions for this. ⁵⁶

For one with ownership but not control

A foolish person, a minor or an insane person is restricted in disposal to protect his property; a discerning minor may act with his guardian's leave. ⁶

Growth by unlawful means

Growth by usury, gambling, or trade in wine is forbidden. ⁷

Game that goes out of sight

Inma in this sense means the game going out of sight after it is shot. It is attributed to Ibn Abbas, who said to eat what was killed outright and to leave what went out of sight; the jurists differ on it. It is treated in the entry on hunting. ⁷⁸

Sources

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3559

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3560

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3561

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3562

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3563

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3564

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3565

al-Mawsu'a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya, Noor-Book copy (file named v3) , p.3566