Fatwa: # 15945
Category: Financial Transactions
Country: South Africa
Date: 28th November 2007

Title

Please advise if interest money could be used to build a house for a poor muslim or what else could interst money be used for.

Question

Please advise if interest money could be used to build a house for a poor muslim or what else could interst money be used for.

 

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

The actual ruling of interest and all haram money is that it should be returned to the owner.  If that is not possible, then it will be necessary to give it in charity without the intention of reward, or it may be used for public utilities for example digging public wells, averting oppression etc.

(Rad Al-Muhtar 385/6 H M Saeed)

وعلى هذا قالوا لو مات الرجل وكسبه من بيع الباذق أو الظلم أو أخذ الرشوة يتورع الورثة ، ولا يأخذون منه شيئا وهو أولى بهم ويردونها على أربابها إن عرفوهم ، وإلا تصدقوا بها لأن سبيل الكسب الخبيث التصدق إذا تعذر الرد على صاحبه

(Fatawa Mahmudiya 435/18 Jamia Faruqiya)
(Jadid Fiqhi Masa'il 420/1 Naemiyah)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Ahmed Mohomed Pandor,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa

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