Fatwa ID: 08615

 

 

Answered by Maulana Nuski Cassim

 

Question:

 

I have a pot of money that I’ve been periodically topping up, with the end goal of helping family to pay off debt. I specifically promised Allah that this was what the money was for. I wanted to accumulate money until it became a sizeable amount, so that it would actually make a chunk in the debt.

 

However, I have realised that maybe I was overzealous with putting money into this pot and it is quite large (a little under half of my savings). I know that charity doesn’t decrease wealth so I’m still happy to give it away if needed, but also I know that you are supposed to be sensible with these things so I’m not sure.

 

As context, the reason I ask whether I should delay the donation or not is because I want to buy a house soon inshallah. And if I was to give the money away now, I wouldn’t have enough for the deposit (halal financing don’t worry). So maybe I could give it away later instead?

 

 

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

From how we understand it, it seems that you made an intention rather than a vow or an oath to use the money saved for helping a family or families pay off debt. An intention is different to that of a vow (nadhr) or an oath (qasm); as both will require you to offer an expiation had you failed to act upon them.

 

When it comes to a good intention, one is rewarded tenfold and more if they act upon that intention. In the case where they do not act upon that good intention, then a person still receives a full reward. Many a times the intention of the believer is better than his actions.[1]

 

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِ مِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً وَإِنْ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ سَيِّئَةً وَاحِدَةً

 

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, Allah has recorded good deeds and evil deeds, and He has made them clear. Whoever intends [to perform] a good deed but does not do it, Allah will record it as a complete good deed. If he intends to do a good deed and does so, Allah Almighty will record it as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times as much or even more. And if he intends [to do] an evil deed and does not do it, Allah will record for him one complete good deed. And if he does it, Allah will record for him a single evil deed.” – [صحيح البخاري، رقم الحديث: ٦٤٩١]

 

As for our advice to you, then it would be to donate whatever is reasonable and within capacity towards the family or families you had in mind and to use the rest towards the deposit for a home. The amount donated should not bring about undue financial harm or constraint.

 

 

 

 

References:

1. “نيّة المؤمن خير من عمله”

[معجم الكبير للطبراني، رقم الحديث: ٥٩٤٢]

 

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham