Question:
We bought first house 15 years ago regarding for fatwa that okay for muslem living in a foreign country to buy house with mortgage. After few years my husband get bonus money from the company he was working at and decided to buy bigger house and sell the one we live in. After that we were about to leave Alberta to BC, then he decided to buy land there to build house when we move there and he bought it.

Then he thought the market was going up and decided to buy many houses and sell it as business. He bought another two houses and two apartments.

• One of the houses pay $40,000 as deposit and he had to leave it because the market freeze and the company refused to return the money.
• The other one he got it and rent it and sell it after few years.
• At same time we put our first house for sale to move to the new house but we were not able to sell it then we rent it [the first house].

Before he bought the two apartments سبحان الله like I was sleeping and waking up. I told him to stop and this was not right but he didn’t listen to me.

At this point I even asked him to remove my name from the land he bought in BC, and he did. When he sold it he make profit around $30,000. He sold the two apartments and lost more than half of the price. we stayed in our new house for around 10 years and the old house never been sold, we put it many times in the market and never been sold. 2007 my husband wanted to make business with his cousin in Egypt for building apartments building. he gets loan on the old house because the old house increased around $190,000, without telling me, I found out later. الحمدلله they stole his money and he never got it back.

Then later he decided to buy land in Alberta to build a house for us. I refused but he never listened to me. Later he decided to build on it and I didn’t agree but he kept going in the process. I told him I’m not going to move with you but my friend told me, you are going to destroy your family, so I moved and we put the house on the market and never got sold and we keep renting it. Now I’m scared of Allah’s punishment for taking Reba and I would like to free myself and my family from hellfire. In the mortgage my name is on the three houses.

We wrote a will if any of us passed away to the other person responsible to divide it regarding to شريعة.

1. Do I have to remove my name from the three houses or two of them and refuse to be responsible for his will?
2.  Is all the money haram or we can try to sell the houses and calculate how much we paid without any benefits?
3. By the way first house I paid $15,000 in the price and mentioned that that first house increased around $190,000. Do I have to take just the $15,000 I paid without any profit?
4. If my husband refused to do that, what would you advise me to do?

جزاك الله خيرًا

[The number of the questions has been rearranged to facilitate answering.]

Answer:

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Dear Sister,

Your love for Allāh and the pain that you feel in the Sharīʿah being violated is evident from your heart wrenching email. We pray that Allāh rewards you abundantly and allows you and your family to be saved from the scourge of interest.

While your situation may seem bleak, do not ever despair. Allāh tells us:

لَا تَيْأَسُوا مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ (يوسف: ٨٧)

“Do not despair of Allāh’s mercy. Verily, only disbelievers despair of Allāh’s mercy.” (12:87)

Before addressing your questions, it is necessary to understand two points.

1. Each person is accountable for their own deeds.

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

“No one will bear the burden of another.” (6:146; 17:15; 35:18; 39:7)

A husband will not be punished for the sins of their wife, nor will a wife be punished for the sins of their husband, provided they counseled their spouse to do good. Sūrah Taḥrīm provides multiple examples of this. As stated in your email, you have, on multiple occasions, expressed your concerns to your husband about repeatedly taking interest bearing loans. You will not be sinful for his actions.

2. Taking an interest-bearing loan and paying interest on it is a huge sin. That being said, because the ḥarām factor is the paying of interest to the lender, the income attained as a result of investing the loan is not ḥarām.[1]

Answers to Questions 1, 2, and 3

1. You do not need to remove your name from the houses nor refuse to be responsible for your husband’s will.
2. You own the homes according to the Sharīʿah, and the money earned from renting and selling the homes is not ḥarām. However, the act of paying interest to the lender is ḥarām.
3. While it is permissible to keep the profit, Rasūlullāh ﷺ has informed us that ṣadaqah (charity) wipes out sins just as water extinguishes fire (Tirmidhī #614). Therefore, it would be advisable to give as much as possible in ṣadaqah to atone for the sin incurred by the interest payments.

Important note: It is of the utmost importance to remember the severity of dealing in interest. If one were to try to play a trick and repeatedly take interest-bearing loans thinking that the income earned will be ḥalāl, they should remember that Allāh says:

يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّـهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ (سورة البقرة ٩)

“They thus try to deceive Allah and the believers, but they succeed in deceiving none except themselves and they realize it not.” (2:9)

They should also ponder over the story of the Aṣḥāb al-Sabt (Sūrah al-Baqarah, Āyah 65). Allāh Ta’ālā severely punished those people who employed a trick to try to circumvent and make a mockery of the laws of Allāh. People who engage in actions such as this are inviting Allāh’s wrath upon them.

How to Move Forward (Answer to Question 4)

Alḥamdulillāh, you are aware of and have accepted the severity of the sin of interest. Although it was your husband who took out these loans, we do not live in a vacuum. Our deeds will affect those around us, and vice versa. The lack of barakah and the curse associated with interest can affect many though the sin of the act may be upon just one person.

Therefore, all efforts must be made to eradicate this menace from your life. It may seem daunting, but do not lose hope in Allāh. He tells us:

يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ (الزمر: ٥٣)

“O my servants who have transgressed against themselves! Do not despair of Allāh’s mercy. Verily, Allāh forgives all sins. Verily, only He is the Most Forgiving, Perpetually Merciful.” (39:53)

However, Allāh’s forgiveness comes when one follows their repentance with good deeds and a firm resolution to no longer commit the sin. Part of this resolution is a plan to mitigate the effects of the sin and to ensure that one does return to it.

Talk to your husband and try to convince him of the severity of the interest of sin. Place literature on the topic around the house in places where he will see it. Also, play lectures on the topic in his presence. Along with all of this, consistently pray Ṣalāh al-Ḥājah and fervently make duʿā that Allāh gives him the realization of his errors and the tawfīq to rectify the mistakes. Inshāʾ Allāh, he will come around.

Then, in your case, we advise that you:

1. Try to refinance the mortgages through Sharīʿah compliant Islāmic finance companies.
2. If that is not possible, see if the collective debt can be consolidated so that the amount of interest paid is minimized.
3. Exert all efforts in paying off the loans aggressively. Any extra income beyond necessities should be applied towards paying off these loans so as to eradicate interest from your life completely.
4. Make abundant duʿā and istighfār.
5. Give abundant ṣadaqah (though no set amount is required) as it wipes out sin.

Also, please read this article by Muftī Faisal (db) which provides valuable guidance to eradicate interest: https://fatwa.ca/how-do-we-get-out-of-debts/.

We will end by sharing some verses of Sūrah Āli ʿImrān for you to ponder upon and gain inspiration from:

“You who believe, do not consume usurious interest, doubled and redoubled. Be mindful of Allāh so that you may prosper–beware of the Fire prepared for those who ignore [Him]– and

obey Allāh and the Messenger so that you may be given mercy. Hurry towards your Lord’s forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the righteous, who give, both in

prosperity and adversity, who restrain their anger and pardon people– Allāh loves those who do good– those who remember Allāh and implore forgiveness for their sins if they do something shameful or wrong themselves– who forgives sins but Allāh? – and who never knowingly persist in doing wrong.  The reward for such people is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens graced with flowing streams, where they will remain. How excellent is the reward of those who labor!” (3:130-136)

May Allāh guide you and your family, open your hearts, and allow you to rid yourselves of all interest in your lives. May He make your concern and efforts a means of forgiveness and entrance into Jannah.

And Allāh Taʿālā Knows Best

Muftī Mohammed Wahaajuddin
Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA

Checked and Approved by:

Muftī Faisal bin Abdul Hamīd al-Mahmūdī
Darul Iftaa Canada (www.fatwa.ca)
—

[1]

المبسوط للسرخسي، كتاب الكفالة، باب من الكفالة أيضاً، ج٢٠، ص١٣٨، رشيدية

وإذا أقرض الرجل الرجل قرضا على أن يكفل به فلان؛ كان جائزا حاضرا كان فلان أو غائبا ضمن أو لم يضمن، وكذلك لو شرط أن يحيله به على فلان؛ لأن القرض لا يتعلق بالجائز من الشروط فلا يفسده الباطل، بخلاف البيع فإنه لو شرط فيه كفالة أو حوالة من مجهول أو معلوم غير حاضر؛ لم يرض بذلك فالبيع فاسد؛ لأن الفاسد من الشروط مبطل للبيع فإنه يتعلق بالجائز من الشروط

البحر الرائق، كتاب البيع، باب مسائل متفرقة، ج٦ ص٣١٢، دار الكتب العلمية

قوله (وما لا يبطل بالشرط الفاسد القرض) بأن قال أقرضتك هذه المائة بشرط أن تخدمني شهرا مثلا فإنه لا يبطل بهذا الشرط وذلك؛ لأن الشروط الفاسدة من باب الربا وأنه يختص بالمبادلة المالية وهذه العقود كلها ليست بمعاوضة مالية فلا تؤثر فيها الشروط الفاسدة ذكره العيني فيقال له فكيف بطل عزل الوكيل والاعتكاف والرجعة بالشروط الفاسدة مع أنها لم تكن من المبادلة المالية وفي البزازية وتعليق القرض حرام والشرط لا يلزم

رد المحتار، كتاب البيوع، ج٥ ص٢٣٩، سعيد

(قوله القرض) ك أقرضتك هذه المائة بشرط أن تخدمني سنة، وفي البزازية: وتعليق القرض حرام والشرط لا يلزم. والذي في الخلاصة عن كفالة الأصل والقرض بالشرط حرام اهـ نهر أي فالمراد بالتعليق الشرط. وفي صرف البزازية: أقرضه على أن يوفيه بالعراق فسد اهـ أي فسد الشرط وإلا خالف ما هنا تأمل

فتاوى محموديه، ج٢٤، دار الاشاعت

ص٤٠٦: اگرکسی نے کچھ روپیہ سود پر قرض لیا تو وہ اس کی وجہ سے گنہگار ہوا لیکن اس پیسہ سے جو تجارت کی ہے وہ درست ہے اورجو کچھ اس کی آمدنی ہوشرعی قواعد میں رہ کروہ بھی درست ہے۔

ص٤٣٦: سوال: گورنمنٹ کی طرف سے کاشتکاروں کو بونے کے لئے سودپرغلہ اونکھ فصل پردی جاتی ہے،فصل کٹنے پرجتنا دیاجاتاہے، اس سے زیادہ مقررہ تعدادمیں لے لیاجاتا ہے ظاہر ہے کہ یہ سود ہے،آج شاید ہی میری طرف کوئی ایسا کاشتکار ہوجواس سے بچاہوایسی صورت میں کیااپنے کسی عزیز کے یہاں کھانا نہ کھانا چاہئے ؟

جواب :: کاشتکار کو جوملا ہے وہ قرض ہے ، سود نہیں ،پھر اس سے جو مقدار زائد واپس لی گئی ہے ، وہ سود ہے،کاشتکار کے گھرکاکھانا سود نہیں

كتاب النوازل، ج١١، دار الاشاعت

ص٢٧٩: سودی قرض لینا اگرچہ سخت گناہ ہے، اور قرض لینے والے پر اس معاملہ کا گناہ ہوگا؛ لیکن اس رقم سے بنائے گئے مکان کا استعمال درست ہے؛ اس لئے کہ سود کی زائد رقم اس میں صرف نہیں ہوئی ہے، اور اس کا خریدنا اور اس میں نماز پڑھنا بھی بلاکراہت درست ہے ۔

ص٣٤٠: سود پر قرض لینے کی وجہ سے آمدنی حرام نہیں ہوتی، بلکہ سود دینے کا گناہ لازم آتا ہے، لہذا آپ کے جس بیٹے نے کاروبار کے لئے سودی قرض لیا  ہے، وہ سخت گنہگار ہے، آپ اس کی فہمائش کریں، اور جلد از جلد اس کو گناہ سے بچنے پر آمادہ کریں ، تاہم اس کے اس عمل کی وجہ سے آپ پر اس  سے علیحدگی لازم نہیں ہے، اور اس کے ساتھ کھانا پینا بھی آپ کے لئے نا جائز نہیں ہے۔