Is paying off a person’s debt permissible if that debt was taken out for something deemed impermissible in Sharī‘ah?

Q: Is paying off a person’s debt permissible if that debt was contracted for something deemed impermissible in Sharī‘ah?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب   A: In principle, if you gift or lend someone some money that person is free to utilise that money in whichever way he/she feels even if you have […]

Read more...

My father said that if he gives me money as a gift, I must buy a house. Is this a type of riba statement?

Q: My father said that if he gives me money as a gift, I must buy a house.  Is this a type of riba statement?    الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: If your father gives you some money and stipulates that you must purchase a house therewith, irrespective as to whether the […]

Read more...

What are the Islamic rules regarding ownership of Gifts for Inheritance Tax purposes?

Q: In the UK, it is possible through a UK inheritance tax law, known as the 7 year rule for a mother to transfer ownership of a home to her son.   The idea is that when the transfer is made, the individual who gifts the property has to live for 7 years for there to […]

Read more...

Gifting a land without registering the name of the giftee

Q: My father bought much land and properties overseas during his life. One particular piece of land  was bought especially for my mother and he expressed this to her and there are witnesses to his statements.  She accepted the gift but did not want her name showing on the property documents as she believed her husband’s […]

Read more...

Is it permissible to open a current account with a bank which offers cashback on household bills?

Q: Is it permissible to open a current account with a bank which offers cashback on household bills?   الجواب خامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: This is a form of riba as the money deposited with a bank is a loan which brings the added benefit of a discount when using the account to pay […]

Read more...

If one has to pay money to apply for a grant, would this be considered gambling?

Q: If one has to pay money to apply for a grant, would this be considered gambling?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: If the fee represents real costs for processing the application it is permissible to charge such fee.

Read more...

My mother agreed to let her property be used for a madrassa, however she now needs to sell the property due to financial hardships. Is she able to do this?

Q: My mother agreed to let her property be used for a madrassa, however she now needs to sell the property due to financial hardships. Is she able to do this? My mother has been donating money to Islamic projects in the past and came across an Imam who wanted to establish a madrasa in […]

Read more...

Are you allowed to give money to pay off someone’s debt while knowing that part of that is likely to go towards paying off interest?

Q: Are you allowed to give money to pay off someone’s debt while knowing that part of that is likely to go towards paying off of interest? The recipient of the financial help is a non-Muslim.   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: In principle, if you gift or lend someone some money that […]

Read more...

Can I give my wealth to my children during my lifetime?

Q: Can I give my wealth to my children during my lifetime? I understand that when writing a will the Qurʾān tells us how our wealth should be distributed, e.g. 2/3 to the son and 1/3 to each of two daughters. But if I want to give my wealth to my children during my lifetime […]

Read more...

Will a gift be completed through the legal transfer of deeds? What if the donee is not aware of the gift?

Q: I have two questions regarding inheritance and gifts: 1) a family of four (mother, father and two sons) live together in one house. The father wishes to gift his house to both of his sons in his lifetime. What is the correct way of doing this Islamically? 2) can a mother gift her house (that […]

Read more...

The ruling on gifting a property and retaining the right to live in it

Q: Husband (H) and wife (W) have two daughters. H and W wanted security for their daughters and the following was therefore proposed. H & W gift the property to the daughters but reserve for themselves a right to live in the property for, say, twenty years or death of both H & W, whichever is […]

Read more...