What Is The Ruling On Donating Unintentionally Received Interest?
Question: I unintentionally recieved interest from the bank through some kind of saving account, After realizing this i dont want to gain any benefit from this money. Can i donate the amount to needy people or to my siblings or parents. Is that permissible?
Summary:
Usurious interest is unlawful and impure wealth. It is not permissible for a Muslim to benefit from it personally, feed it to his family, or use it as a means of drawing closer to Allah, because Allah is Pure and accepts only that which is pure. -Rather, it is obligatory to dispose of it promptly by directing it toward public interests and benefits for the Muslims, such as repairing public facilities, roads, restrooms, and similar causes. -A Muslim should regard the matter of riba with the utmost seriousness. Allah has not threatened any sin with a warning comparable to that which He mentioned regarding riba. Allah, the Exalted, says: "Then be informed of a war from Allah and His Messenger." Surah al-Baqarah 2:279 This is not a matter in which one should be careless or lenient. Rather, it is a serious issue in which a Muslim should exercise caution for the sake of his religion and clear himself of all usurious wealth out of reverence for Allah and fear of His punishment.
Answer:
First: What Is Required Regarding Usurious Wealth?
If a person acquires wealth through riba and then repents to Allah, or interest enters his account without intending it, then it is not permissible for him to benefit from that increase personally.
From the Qur'an:
- Surah al-Baqarah 2:279
"But if you repent, then you may have your principal amounts."
This verse indicates that the one who repents from riba is entitled only to his original capital. As for the usurious increase, he has no right to it.
Second: How Should He Dispose of This Money?
From the Scholars:
- From the Statements of the Scholars:
"It is not permissible for a Muslim to benefit from usurious interest. Rather, he must hasten to dispose of it by removing it from his possession and directing it toward public interests, because it is unlawful wealth that must be disposed of, not wealth from which one benefits or by which one seeks nearness to Allah."
- Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"If unlawful wealth remains with its possessor after repentance and cannot be returned to its rightful owner, it should be spent on the interests of the Muslims."
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) stated something similar.
However, one should not intend it as charity by which he seeks nearness to Allah, because Allah is Pure and accepts only that which is pure. Rather, he should intend only to rid himself of unlawful wealth. Third: Is It Permissible to Give It to One's Siblings? It is generally not appropriate to distribute usurious interest to siblings or relatives as a form of ownership. Rather, the obligation is to dispose of it through public interests and benefits for the Muslims, because it is unlawful wealth that must be removed, not wealth intended for personal ownership and benefit. A Muslim should exercise caution in this matter and should not make usurious wealth a means of supporting relatives or fulfilling their needs. Rather, he should dispose of it through avenues of public benefit in order to clear himself of responsibility for this unlawful wealth. Fourth: A Muslim should beware of becoming careless regarding unlawful wealth, for Allah is Pure and accepts only that which is pure. Unlawful wealth is a cause of the loss of blessing, the rejection of supplications, and punishment in this world and the Hereafter. It is not permissible for a servant to seek nearness to Allah through unlawful wealth, nor should he think that retaining it or benefiting from it removes the sin from him. Rather, he must hasten to sincere repentance and dispose of it in the legislated manner.
From the Sunnah:
- Sahih al-Jami'Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Every body that is nourished from unlawful wealth, then the Fire is more deserving of it."
- Sahih MuslimAbu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ mentioned a man who journeys for a long time, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky saying: "O Lord, O Lord," while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished with unlawful wealth. The Prophet ﷺ then said: "So how can his supplication be answered?"
Therefore, it is obligatory to hasten in disposing of unlawful wealth and not delay or be negligent regarding it, for a person will be questioned about his wealth: how he earned it and how he spent it. Whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah will replace it with something better. Whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect. Conclusion: The usurious interest that entered your account is not permissible for you to benefit from. Rather, it is obligatory to dispose of it. It is permissible to direct it toward the poor and needy and toward public interests. It is also permissible to give it to your siblings if they are in need. As for your parents, this money should not be given to them if doing so would replace financial support that is already obligatory upon you. However, if they are poor and in need, and the intention is not to avoid your obligatory maintenance responsibilities, then some scholars have permitted giving it to them as a means of disposing of the unlawful wealth, not as an act of charity.
And Allah knows best.
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