Fatwa ID: 06353
Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque
Question:
I took out a loan in Germany with interest from the bank. I took out a loan to survive the corona crisis and to buy an apartment as an investment. I knew it was haram, but now I feel a real punishment from Allah and I regret it. I’m in so deep now that I have regrets and I’m trying to get rid of it all. Should I sell my apartment immediately? What else can I do to make Allah forgive me?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If a person earns Haram money, they should return it to the person it belongs to or give it to charity, without the intention of gaining a reward for charity (Raddul Mukhtar, Vol 9, Pg 554). You should pay back the loan as soon as you can and avoid paying extra interest on it. You can ask family or friends or take out an interest-free loan to help you pay it back quickly.
You do not need to sell the house, as it would cause harm. The Haram was in the interest money, which should be returned immediately.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Those who consume interest will stand like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, ‘Trade is no different than interest.’ But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest. Whoever refrains—after having received a warning from their Lord—may keep their previous gains, and their case is left to Allah. As for those who persist, it is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.” (Qur’an, 2:275)
What you have used the interest loan for does not need to be returned/disposed of (Tafseer Kabeer, Vol 7, Pg 101)
As for asking forgiveness from Allah, scholars suggest that the method for repenting from sins is as follows:
- To stop doing the sin
- To regret doing the sin
- To resolve to never return to the sin
“If one of the three is missing, his repentance is not valid.” (Riyaadhus Saaliheen, Pg 13)
If the sin relates to the rights of another person, he should also fulfil their rights and seek forgiveness (Riyaadhus Saaliheen, Pg 13).
And Allah says in the Qur’an: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’” (39:53)
To conclude, you should pay back the loan as soon as possible. If you can borrow money in a halal manner, you should do so to quickly rid yourself of the Haram loan. You do not need to sell your house. You should repent to Allah and ask him to forgive your sins.
فإن علموا أربابه ردوه عليهم ، و إلا تصدقوا به
ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
قال السدي : له ما سلف أي له ما اكل من الربا و ليس عليه رد ما سلف
إن كانت المعصية بين العبد و بين اللّه تعالى لا تتعلق بحق آدمي فلها ثلاثة شروط . أحدها أن يقلع عن المعصية و الثاني أن يندم على فعلها و الثالث أن يعزم أن لا يعود إليها أبدا فإن فقد أحد الثلاثة لم تصح توبته و إن كانت المعصية تتعلق بآنمي فشروطها أربعة : هذه الثلاثة و أن يبرأ من حق صاحبها فإن كانت مالا أو نحوه رده إليه و إن كان حد قذف و نحوه مكنه منه أو طلب عفوه و إن كانت غيبة استحله منها
قُلْ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
