Fatwa ID: 04720 

Answered by: Mufti Muhammad Adnan

Question

I have a question about a motorbike that I got from my father. My father opened an account on some conventional bank (which is riba based) and he got a prize which is a motorbike in 2008. Now, prior to 2016, I’ve never realized that using anything from a riba-based bank is haraam, and my father didn’t seem to know as well at that time ( but now he knows).

My questions are,
– Is it permissible to use this motorbike, if not what should I do with it?
– What about my income while using it?
– I have bought so many things using that, is that making all that I bought unlawfully?

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

Answer

There are two possibilities in regards to prizes, either the recipient of the prize has made an input and he is selected by chance, or he does not make any input and the bank chooses to give the recipient a gift. If the recipient made an input (eg entered a competition or bought a raffle ticket), such a transaction will be haram. The amount returned to him is greater than what he initially paid. This is a clear interest. (Fatawa Darul Uloom Zakariyyah, page 459/460, Zam Zam publishers)

If it was given without any input from the recipient then it is considered to be a gift and halal.

If it is considered Haraam then it should be given back to the bank and all income generated or other things purchased using it are considered to be permissible if the wealth is from permitted sources. Even though the transaction of the motorbike may be impermissible the transaction of generating income or purchasing other things will be regarded as a separate transaction and permissible.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Muhammad Adnan

Checked and Approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham