Question

I want to know about interest money as my husband has money in bank and what ever interest money comes , he gives this money to his brother and sisters who are very poor ,some time they need money for their children education ,sometimes for hospitals or sometimes for unexpected events but we are not expecting anything from them as sadqa ,charity means not any consideration , just helping in their difficult situatiions , and my husband elder brother , being so i ll his brother is so demanding , he has hole in his heart , sometimes he become very ill and week , so every in my in laws take care of him never hurts him and fulfill what he says or demands , he is very angry person he misbehave with elders and parents , but sometimes become kindhearted to everyone , dont know what he is , 

so his brother demanded for expensive phone so my husband purchases the phone with interest money , NOW here i want to ask that is this jayaz what are we doing ? and we are and not saying them that this is interest money what we are giving to you , indeed we are not expecting anything from them ,so can we use this interest money for helping poor and needy peoples ,we are not using this money for our personel use and somtimes my husbands gives money from his salary to his sisters to help them ,so i think it counts as help .

my husband gives zakat by his own money every year and gives money to every one in family who are very poor . one thing which hurts me that whenever my husband help poor peoples or anyone they bless him ,do this blessing comes to me and my daughter also , i feel jealous or what i dont know , no one is blessing me as im wife of him and im not working women i have no salary no money i cant give money to anyone or help anyone, physically im very sweet to my in laws , helps them , respects and obey them , they like me but dont know whats in their hearts .

Could you please guy me.

Answer

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

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

There are few issues worth addressing in your question. 

1. Since your husband is receiving interest money in his bank, his primary duty is to make arrangements that he does not receive this interest money. If he is using a saving account which accrues him interest, then perhaps he needs to move over to checking account. The ruling of disposing interest money only comes when one makes efforts to avoid interest monies, and yet get them in one's account. So your husband must attend to this first and foremost.

2. Yes, in principle, if one's brother is extremely poor and needy, then interest money can be given to them without any hope for reward. However, if in your situation, if the money is being directly used for non-essential items, then it shows that the brother is not in that much of a need. Rather these monies help him in his wants. In such a case, your husband must find some needy people to give the money out to them.

3. Helping one's brother is also under silah rahmi, so your husband should tackle that in any case, even if he were not receiving any interest monies. From this angle as well, there is a certain reward he is getting. Hence, the gesture is not entirely void of hope for rewards. I would thus suggest to spend the money in real destitute people, where you know that the meagre amount will get their food for next few days.

4. The sadaqa / help which your husband renders towards others, is essentially his sadaqah. However, your husband is liable according to Shariah to give you nafaqa, expense monies for your own self. This is the money, you can choose from your own self to give out sadaqah. In fact, if and when he does give you this nafaqah, you will be in a better position than him to give sadaqah. If his entire wealth is $1000 and he give out $10 for sadaqah help, he has only given out 1% of his wealth. His rewards are only that much. BUT if your wealth (nafaqah) to you is just $100 and you give out $10 from it in sadaqah, that is a whole 10% sadaqah. Which is much more than what your husband is spending. Hence your rewards will be more too. What I am saying is, give from whatever Allah has given you, and you will join the ranks.

5. When people give du'a of blessing to your husband, they are indirectly blessing your marital life as well. Which means you will definitely reap rewards from those blessings. so be happy and content on that. 

6. Your attitude towards your in-laws, is indeed praiseworthy. This will definitely bring forth barakah for you and your family. Remember, it is not a requirement for them to say "bless you" for you to be blessed. You become blessed from your own good deeds. When you do good deeds, the angels make du'a for your blessing. Sometimes these good deeds are mere gesture of being polite and loving to another person. So reap as much of these blessings as possible.

May Allah increase you and your family in barakah, Ameen.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Faisal bin Abdul Hameed al-Mahmudi
www.fatwa.ca