Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam alaikum brother marshallah for your advice.

Please advice me if my husband invested in haram stock market and high interest accounts. If the interest made was given for sadaqa is this haram. i am confused as the money my husband used to make money with is this now bad money, i have separated with my husband cause i feel i can not live on or accept this riba money from please help

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Answer:

Unlawful wealth charity sadaqa

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah and His Messenger (saws) have indeed declared the receiving and paying of ‘riba’ as absolutely Haraam and prohibited for the believers in very strong terms, and it is the prescribed duty of every believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, to abstain from dealing in ‘riba’ or earning their wealth from unlawful means.

Allah says further in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 278:

O Believers!, fear Allah and give up that ‘riba’ which is still due to you, if you are true believers. But if you do not do so, then you are warned of the declaration of war against you by Allah and His Messenger!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa verse 161:

That they took ‘riba’, although they were forbidden. And that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully. We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment (of Hell Fire)!

It is not as if it is deemed permissible and lawful in Islam for one to continue earning their wealth through unlawful means as long as one spends it in charity; for Allah does not accept anything in His Cause unless and until it is pure and lawful.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 2214 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘O people, Allah is ‘At-Tayyib’ (Pure and Good) and He, therefore, accepts only that which is pure and good!’

If one insists and persists in earning ones wealth through unlawful means, even if one were to spend all of their unlawfully earned wealth in ‘sadaqah’ or charity….such charity will find absolutely no acceptance with Allah Subhanah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan