Fatwa ID: 04597

Answered by: Maulana Belaal Ahmed

Question:

Assalamualaikum.

Please confirm whether my friend's Umrah will be valid. He has a loan he's paying off with interest and he knows this is wrong. He has a credit card that is interest-free for 2 years.

He intends to fund his Umrah trip for Ramadan with his credit card, so the funds are not "haram", but then intends to pay off the amount owed on his credit card with his loan, however, he will have paid interest on the money used to pack the funds used to source his Umrah.

For example:

• £2000 from credit card to funds his Umrah to halalise it.
• £2000 owed on his credit card before the period of interest.

Clears the debt on his credit card of £2000 using funds from his loan. 

• Pays interest on the £2000 he used to pay back the loan.

Is his Umrah contaminated? Although it's valid from a fiqhi point of view, it will be bereft of any barakah along with his salah and all the good deeds he will do.

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

Answer:

The question of performing umrah and its acceptability is based on the issue of having a loan, more so an interest-bearing loan, it is important to understand that it will remain a sin for which necessary amends will have to be made. one should refrain from taking such loans which consist of interest as Allah has prohibited it in the Quraan

“Allah has permitted transactions and has forbidden riba” (Surah Al Baqarah v.275)

The Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam) has cursed the person who takes interest, who gives interest and who writes it and who witnesses it.”

(Mishkaatul-Masabeeh p.244 v.1)

Nevertheless, if one has an outstanding debt, that does not prevent him from performing umrah. He may go for umrah. His umrah/ will be considered valid. Fatawa Rahimiya ( English pg 197 Darul Ishaat)

However one should try to refrain from going to umrah with such wealth as umrah is not obligatory.

Only Allah knows best

Written Maulana Belaal Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham