Question Summary:
Can I help with repaying an interest-bearing loan my mother has taken out? Question Detail:
Borrowing money from the bank that charges interest is it ok in some cases or is it forbidden to borrow all together because I am been told that its not forbidden?
Please show me proof that it is forbidden/haram so that I may show my family as to why borrowing money from a bank that charges interest is a big and not allowed in islam. The reason is that my mother wants to borrow money from the bank to fix the house that will one day go to me and my brothers if she passes away.
She also wants me to help her later on to repay the loan. Now I have no problem with helping my mum fix the house but I do have a problem with getting involved with money that is haram. Is it a bigger sin for me to disobey my parents by not helping them pay off the loan or a bigger sin for me to get involved with dealing with money that charges interest. Also is inheriting property from parents that have used interest to purchase it knowing its a sin to use interest will the child be punished for inheriting the property and helping them pay off the rest of the loan.
I know that disobeying parents is a big sin but isn't disobeying Allah an even bigger sin?
Answer :
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
At the outset, we wish to commend you for your sensitivity to avoiding harām and your zeal to stay within the limits of Sharī‘ah.
The view presented to you that some interest-bearing loans are permissible is incorrect. All interest-bearing loans are harām, regardless of whether one is paying interest or receiving it. Allah Ta‘ālā says:
وأحل الله البيع وحرم الربا
“Allah has permitted sale and prohibited ribā (interest/usury).” (Qur’an, 2:275)
Allah also says:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وذروا ما بقي من الربا إن كنتم مؤمنين، فإن لم تفعلوا فأذنوا بحرب من الله ورسوله
“O you who believe, fear Allah and leave out the remains of ribā, if you are (true) believers. If you do not do so, then let it be an announcement of war with Allah and His Messenger.” (Qur’an, 2:278-9)
Allah further says:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تأكلوا الربا أضعافا مضاعفة
“O you who believe, do not consume ribā, doubled and multiplied.” (Qur’an, 3:130)
The hadiths of Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) are also explicit on the prohibition of all forms of ribā.
Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) cursed the one who receives interest and the one who pays it. (Sahīh Muslim; Mishkāt al-Masabīh, 2807)
He said:
درهم ربا يأكله الرجل وهو يعلم أشد من ستة وثلاثين زنية
“One dirham of ribā a man consumes knowingly is worse than thirty three acts of illicit intercourse.” (Musnad Ahmad; Mishkāt al-Masabīh, 2825)
There is agreement amongst the scholars and jurists from all mazhabs (schools) that interest-bearing loans are harām and constitute ribā. [1]
We advise you to be extremely diplomatic in your approach towards your mother about the issue, so as not to display even a small amount of disrespect. You should advise your mother that should she require money to fix the house, she should search for alternatives besides interest-bearing loans. Remind her that barakah (blessing) will only come in following the laws of Allah Ta‘ālā.
With respect to your question of whether you should obey your mother or Allah Ta‘ālā in the event of a conflict between them, remember the following hadith:
لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الله
“There is no obedience to the creation in the disobedience of Allah.” [2]
If, however, your mother takes out the interest-bearing loan, it will be permissible for you to offer her some money as a gift, which she may then use to repay the loan. It will not be permissible for you to pay interest directly to the bank. [3] There will be no sin on you for inheriting and making use of property your parents bought using interest-bearing loans. [4]
[1]
كل قرض شرط فيه الزيادة فهو حرام بغير خلاف
المغني، دار الحديث، ٦:١٤
[2]
مسند أحمد، مؤسسة الرسالة، ٢:٣٣٣
قال محققوه: إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين
[3]
مسألة: إجارة بيت ليتخذه بيت نار ـ أي معبداً للمجوس أو بيعة ـ أي معبد لليهود ـ أو كنيسة ـ أي معبد للنصارى ـ أو يباع فيه خمر بالسواد لا يكره؛ وهذا عند أبي حنيفة، وقالا: لا ينبغي أن يكريه لشيء من ذلك؛ لأنه إعانة على المعصية، وقد قال الله تعالى: {وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان}، ولأبي حنيفة: أن الإجارة على منفعة البيت، ولهذا يجب الأجر بمجرد التسليم، ولا معصية فيه، وإنما المعصية بفعل المستأجر، وهو مختار فيه لقطع نسبته عنه
خلاصة الكلام في مسألة الإعانة على الحرام
[4]
الْمَسْأَلَةُ السَّابِعَةُ - لَا يَبْطُلُ الْقَرْضُ بِالشُّرُوطِ الْفَاسِدَةِ وَيَكُونُ الشَّرْطُ الْمَذْكُورُ لَغْوًا فَلِذَلِكَ لَوْ اسْتَقْرَضَ أَحَدٌ سِكَّةً مَغْشُوشَةً عَلَى أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ بَدَلَهَا سِكَّةً خَالِصَةً كَانَ الْقَرْضُ صَحِيحًا , وَالشَّرْطُ بَاطِلًا (درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام، ج3ص84، دار الكتب العلمية)
And Allah Ta‘āla Knows Best
Zameelur Rahman
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
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