Fatwa ID: 07779

 

 

Written by Molana Sibghat Ullah

 

 

Question:

 

 

I’ve read before that it’s not permissible to invest haram money into a halal business and the profit gained through such business is haram. Now in my situation, I’m currently in semester 3, and for the past semester, I’ve used haram money obtained from deception to pay my university fees, stationary, books and other stuff that I use to answer my final exam. So, would it be haram for me to use my certificate later?

 

 

The money was obtained from a scholarship that I lied to get it. But right now, I already regret it and I’m planning to repay it back after I got a job. So, would it be permissible for me to use my certificate later and get a job, and after that I’ll pay the institution back?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Answer: 

 

 

You have heard it right; it is haram to use haram money in halal businesses. As you have gained money through deception, it is best for you to seek sincere tawba (repentance) from Allah. The true repentance is that first, you need to return the money to those people who you have gained the money from through deception and ask forgiveness from them. This action will confirm your pure intentions and will hopefully purify your wealth and benefits gained from it. If that’s not possible, you should give the equal amount of wealth you gained through deception in charity, intending it as a form of recompense.

 

 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who has done a wrong affecting his brother’s honour or anything else, let him ask his forgiveness today before the time (i.e., the Day of Resurrection) when he will have neither a dinar nor a dirham. If he has done some good deeds, a portion equal to his wrongdoings will be subtracted from them; but if he has no good deeds, he will be burdened with the evil deeds of the one he had wronged in the same proportion”.

 

 

After doing these steps and continuously seeking true repentance you can use your certificate and earn halal money.

  

 

Hope this answers the question.

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Molana Sibghat Ullah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

References

 

 

Saheeh al Bukhari, The Book of Miscellany Chapter: Unlawfulness of Oppression and Restoring Others Rights

 

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏ “‏ من كانت عنده مظلمة لأخيه، من عرضه أو من شيء، فليتحلله منه اليوم قبل أن لا يكون دينار ولا درهم ، إن كان له عمل صالح أخذ منه بقدر مظلمته، وإن لم يكن له حسنات أخذ من سيئات صاحبه فحمل عليه‏”‏ ‏