Question:
What is the law regarding hotel accommodation? Contracts charge per head. Hence if a room is booked for 2 individuals but 3 stay unbeknownst to the hotel, is this valid Islamically? What about visitors to that same room booked for 2? They will be using facilities of electricity and water…..
Shukran
Student of Deen
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum Wa-Raḥmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh
In today’s world, booking accommodations includes many amenities that were not common in the past, such as electricity, water, towels, and bedding. Those who manage these facilities have every right to set a maximum capacity for each room in order to prevent excessive wear and tear. Since this has become the standard practice, the terms and conditions set by accommodation provider must be adhered to.
المسلمون على شروطهم
(Muslims must keep the conditions that they have made)[1]
Accordingly, exceeding the maximum number of occupants in an accommodation will not be permissible.[2] As Muslims are obligated to uphold contractual terms, inviting visitors is subject to the conditions set by the accommodation provider.
And Allah Taʿāla Knows Best.
Rukunuddin Bin Jahangir
Student –Darul Iftaa
Milwaukee, WI, USA
Checked and Approved by
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai
If a room is booked for 2 individuals but 3 stay unbeknownst to the hotel…
