Fatwa ID: 07946

Answered by Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Question:

I’m am living in flat which is a leasehold property. I was given money by my father 14 years ago. I was advised by my family to purchase my flat, so that I could live in it with my husband once he would get his visa and join me. We had planned to sell the flat and buy a house after a few years of living in it. At the time I purchased the flat I was not aware of interest being haram. Had I known that then I would have not purchased the flat and lived in a rental property. The issue I have is that the flat I purchased is on a lease and is not a long term option to live in. And now I’m stuck and not know what to do as I want to sell my flat and buy a house but as houses are expensive I would have to take out a mortgage. Can you advise me what to do as this is a big burden for me and my husband as we do not know what to do. We cannot live long term in the flat being a leasehold property. As leasehold properties have many issues.

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

Answer:

It would seem your main Halal options are to extend your lease on the property, move to another leasehold, rent a property or seek an Islamic mortgage. While you may find continuing to live in a leasehold undesirable, your only option is to live within your means, and should you be unable to afford an Islamic mortgage then you may need to move to a more inexpensive area [1]. While some have permitted conventional mortgages out of necessity, most agree that only a Shari’ah compliant Islamic mortgage is permitted [2]. Thus, you must either seek out an Islamic mortgage option which you can afford or continue either leasing or renting.

Only Allah s.w.t knows best.

Written by Maulana Yusuf Badshah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Surah An-Nisa’ 97:

{ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا ۞}

[2] Surah Al-Baqarah 178-179:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ۞ فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ ۞}

Sahih Muslim 1598

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ هُمْ سَوَاءٌ