Fatwa ID: 03611

Answered by: Maulana Maqtaur Rahman

Question

If a non-Muslim wants to sponsor a tree to plant in a Muslim orphanage, is there any problem in that?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

In principle, good deeds done by a person whilst he/she is a non-Muslim will not benefit him/her in the Hereafter. This is because Allah says:

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted, and in the Hereafter, he will be one of the losers” [Surah Imran 85]

Therefore, it will be permissible to accept a sponsor from a non-Muslim, due to the principal of the change of ownership on the condition there would be no harm and no reciprocating harm for the Muslims. 

In the Holy Quran Allah has said:

“And nobody does anything but to his own account and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another.” [Surah Anam 164]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muqtaur Rahman

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham