Does an agent authorized to sell an item possess the authority to receive payment for the item?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Agency
Primary text
There are conflicting views regarding the authority to receive the price. One view, held by Al-Qadi and Abu Al-Khattab, and one of the two opinions within the school of Al-Shafi'i, states that the agent does not have the authority to receive payment. This is because the principal may authorize the sale to someone untrusted with handling the funds. If the agent cannot receive payment, he is not liable if the price cannot be secured from the buyer.
Supporting text
Another view suggests the agent does possess the authority to receive payment because it stems from the obligations of the sale, similar to the authority to deliver the item. If this second view holds, the agent cannot deliver the item unless the price is received or present. If the agent delivers before receiving the price, the agent is liable for the price.