The Book of Agency (Kitab al-Wakalah)

It is permissible according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and the consensus (ijma'). As for the Quran, it is the saying of Allah the Almighty: {Indeed, [prescribed] charities are only for the poor and the needy and those employed to collect them} (1). He permitted work on them, and that is by virtue of being a representative on behalf of the deserving. Also, His saying: {So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look which of them is best in food and bring you provision from it} (2). This is an agency. As for the Sunnah, Abu Dawud, al-Athram, and Ibn Majah (3) narrated from al-Zubayr ibn al-Khirrit, from Abu Labid Limazah ibn Zabbar, from Urwah al-Ja'd, who said: A herd (jalab) was presented to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), so he gave me a dinar and said: "O Urwah, go to the herd and buy a sheep for us." He said: So I went to the herd and bargained with its owner and bought two sheep for a dinar. I then returned driving or leading them, and a man met me on the road and bargained with me, so I sold him one sheep for a dinar. I then came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) with the dinar and the sheep (4). I said: O Messenger of Allah, this is your dinar and this is your sheep. He said: "How did you manage?" He said: So I told him the story. He said: "O Allah, bless him in the transaction of his right hand." This is the wording of al-Athram's narration. Abu Dawud (5) narrated with his chain of transmission from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: I wanted to go out to Khaybar, so I went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said to him (6): I have intended to go out to Khaybar. He said: "Go to my agent and take fifteen wasqs from him. If he demands proof from you, place your hand on his collarbone."