Question Summary:
Can you give interest money to poor Muslims? The issue of “bondwoman”

Question Detail:

1) Before Ramadan I had enquired about an issue somebody had asked me "In the Qurān when Allah says the women you get from right hand and Māl e ghanimat (spoils) they are Halal, there is no Nikah obligation? I read it so many places but never thought I should go in more details ...but this lady who I think is reading Qurān and trying to understand it. In my opinion those cases are related to that time and not now, what would you say?

2) Someone asked about the interest money.... Can they send it to a Muslim country to help the poor? Interest is Harām can the needy Muslims use it?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
 
1)     Islam was exposed to slavery which existed long before Islam. Islam’s approach to slavery was to regulate it from within and control the abuses of slavery. This is clearly borne from the various Ahādith of Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam and the practices of the Sahaba. (companion of the Prophet Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam)
It was this positive and practical approach that led to many slaves, men and women to accept Islam and many of them excelling in the ranks of the Muslims.
Freeing slaves is regarded to be one of the noblest acts in Islam.
حَدَّثَنَا فَهْدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ أَنَّ شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنَ السِّمْطِ قَالَ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ عَبَسَةَ: حَدِّثْنَا حَدِيثًا لَيْسَ فِيهِ تَزَيُّدٌ وَلَا نِسْيَانٌ فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: "مَنْ أَعْتَقَ رَقَبَةً مُسْلِمَةً كَانَتْ فِكَاكَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ عُضْوًا بِعُضْوٍ"
"Whosoever freed a Muslim slave, the Lord would redeem all his limbs - in compensation for each limb of the slave, from the Fire of Hell".[1]
 
If a woman was captured in a Islamic war, (Jihād) she would be distributed to the warriors by the Ameerul Mumineen (leader of Muslims). It is only after this all the consequential rights of slavery as regulated in Islam will follow.
It will be most appropriate to enquire from the women in reference about her concerns so that we could response to those issues in detail.
 
2)     Interest is Harām. It should be disposed off to the poor and needy, locally or abroad.
If a Muslim is poor and needy as is a legitimate recipient of Zakāt, interest money may be given to him.[2]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Zaid Mohammed Shelia,
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net