Age restrictions and halal earnings

Walekumussalam,

 1. The Ruling on the Sale Itself

If you buy used mobile phones through lawful means, do not conceal any defects, do not engage in deception or fraud, and sell them with the mutual consent of both parties, then the sale itself is Islamically permissible. Allah Almighty says:

«﴿أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا﴾

“Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury (riba).”

(Surah al-Baqarah 2:275)»

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said:

««التَّاجِرُ الصَّدُوقُ الأَمِينُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ»

“The truthful and trustworthy merchant will be with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.”

(Jami' al-Tirmidhi)»

Therefore, honesty, trustworthiness, and transparency are essential principles in trade.

2. The Status of a Platform's Terms of Service

If a platform sets conditions for using its service that do not conflict with Islamic teachings—such as a minimum age requirement—then, as a general principle, those conditions should be observed. Allah Almighty says:

«﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ﴾

“O you who believe, fulfil your contracts.”

(Surah al-Ma'idah 5:1)»

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

««الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَى شُرُوطِهِمْ، إِلَّا شَرْطًا أَحَلَّ حَرَامًا أَوْ حَرَّمَ حَلَالًا»

“Muslims are bound by their conditions, except a condition that makes the unlawful lawful or the lawful unlawful.”

(Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud)»

Accordingly, when a person creates an account and accepts a platform's terms of service, the basic ruling is that they should comply with those lawful conditions.

3. If the Minimum Age Requirement Is Not Met

If the platform's policy genuinely requires a higher minimum age than yours, then the safer and more precautionary approach is to comply with that policy. If your parent or legal guardian allows you to conduct the business through their account, and this is in accordance with the platform's policies, that would be a more appropriate and reassuring approach.

4. Does This Make the Income Haram?

Merely because an account did not comply with the platform's age requirement, it is not correct to conclude that all the income earned from buying and selling automatically becomes haram, provided that the trade itself is lawful, the goods are halal, and all transactions are conducted honestly.

However, knowingly violating a platform's terms or creating an account using false information is a separate matter that should be avoided. A Muslim should strive to honour lawful agreements and refrain from unnecessary breaches. Therefore, piety and precaution require complying with the platform's legitimate terms whenever possible.