Buying and Selling: Ruling on the Monetary Value and Compensation of Scientifically Valuable Items

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Buying and Selling: Ruling on the Monetary Value and Compensation of Scientifically Valuable Items

English:

Question #1509:

Certain things are considered by the commoners as having no value. However, others attach great value and importance to these things such as insects, and other creatures that are used in scientific experiments in laboratories and universities. Are such things considered as having monetary value and as being a kind of property, which can, therefore, be bought and sold, or can a claim of compensation be lodged in the event of loss or damage?

Answer #1509:

Anything sensible people want to have, albeit some of them, for its legitimate usages, has monetary value and all rulings that apply to property — like ownership, permissibility of dealing, and liability due to having control over it, damage, etc — could be applied to it. That is except for those rulings which are proved in sharī‘ah as not applicable. Anyhow, it is a matter of caution that in trading things like insects or bees, payment is to be made in return for giving up control and the right of allocation over such things.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Buying and Selling