non-existent. We reply: They are considered as having existence; because they are established as the subject-matter for the contract, and a contract does not apply except to something that exists.

Section: The fifth ruling is that the lessor owns the wage by the mere conclusion of the contract, provided it is unrestricted and the lessee does not stipulate a delay, just as the seller owns the price by the sale. Al-Shafi'i held this view. Malik and Abu Hanifa said: He does not own it by the contract, and thus he is not entitled to demand it except day by day, unless he stipulates its acceleration. Abu Hanifa said: Unless it is specified, such as a garment, a slave, or a house; because Allah the Exalted said: "If they breastfeed for you, give them their wages" (65:6). He ordered their payment after the breastfeeding, and the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection: a man who hired a worker, received his due from him, and did not pay him his wage." He threatened punishment for refraining from paying the wage after the work. This proves that it is the time of obligation. It was also narrated from him, peace be upon him, that he said: "Give the worker his wage before his sweat dries." Narrated by Ibn Majah. Furthermore, it is a compensation for which he has not yet acquired the counter-compensation, so its delivery is not mandatory, just like the compensation in a void contract; for the benefits are non-existent and have not been owned, or even if they were owned, he has not received them, because he receives them bit by bit. Therefore, the compensation is not mandatory upon him given the impossibility of delivery in the contract. Our argument is that it is a compensation whose mention is unrestricted in an exchange contract, so it is entitled by the absolute contract, like the price and the dower. Or we say: It is a compensation in a contract that is accelerated by condition, so it must be accelerated by an absolute contract, like the one we mentioned. As for the verse, it is possible that He meant payment at the commencement of breastfeeding, or the surrender of herself, as Allah the Exalted said: "So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the accursed" (16:98), meaning when you intend to recite. Also, because this is an adherence to the implication of the address (dalil al-khitab), and they do not subscribe to it, and likewise for the hadith. This is confirmed by the fact that the command to pay at a certain time does not prevent its obligation beforehand, just like His saying: "So for whatever you enjoy from them, give them their wages" (4:24), and the dower becomes mandatory before enjoyment. This is the same response regarding the hadith. This is supported by the fact that He only threatened punishment for withholding payment [after finishing the work, and you have said: The wage becomes mandatory bit by bit. It is possible that He threatened him for withholding payment] at the time when the demand is customarily directed.