Marriage plan may include Riba
Fatwa No: 82909

Question

I am working as a Electrical Engineer (Diploma) supervisor 28 years and ALHAMDULILLAH earning a salary but it is not so enough for me to buy a house and also manage my mother and brother along with in the present high household expenses. Also I (We) don't have any property or enough money for spending on marriage celebration and giving MEHER to my groom. So Should I marry a working girl? Is it un-Islamic to marry such girl? Or should I postpone marriage plan further? Your valuable suggestion is required.
OR
Can I purchase a house on loan which is available on low interest rates?
And then sell it off after paying some five to six interest based installments and thus make property out of such dealing? I am in this way-paying interest based installment and not taking any interest from any one, and I heard that in difficult situation one can give interest but cannot take it.
Please reply in the light of above situation stating the truth from Qur'an and Sunnah?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

Dear brother,

You should be satisfied with what Allah has allotted to you and if you wish to get more, you should seek it through lawful means; only then will Allah bless you and your work and satisfy you with what He has allotted to you.

Besides, you should look at those who have less than you, not at those who have more than you in order to be more satisfied with what Allah has bestowed on you.

As for marrying this working lady, it is permissible provided she is pious and she observes the orders of Allah concerning Hijab and mixing with non-Mahram men … etc.

We advise you to marry this lady as soon as possible if she is as you described or marry any other pious and righteous woman. Indeed, the Prophet urged young men to marry as early as possible if they can do so as he said: “O young people! Whoever can marry should marry, as it helps him to lower his gaze, and protect his private parts, and whoever is not able to marry should fast, as this helps him to protect his private parts (from committing illegal sexual intercourse).”  [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

You should also know that marriage is a means for becoming wealthy. Allah Says (what means): {And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty, and Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.}[Quran 24:32].

Also, Allah promised to help any man who gets married in order to keep himself chaste as narrated from the Prophet who said: ''There are three kinds of people who have the right on Allah to help them: the Mujahid (fighter) in the Way of Allah, the Mukatab (the slave who has a written deed of emancipation in return for a sum to be paid in installments to his master) who wants freedom, and the one who is going to marry therewith he seeks chastity." [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasa’i]

As regards taking loans from the bank with interests, then this is unlawful except in dire need which can not be satisfied otherwise, and your case does not fit into this category.

You should also know that taking loans with interest is pure Riba (interest and/or usury) and there is no difference between the person who gives the loan and the one who takes it as far as Riba is concerned and both of them are sinful. Allah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal-[thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.} [2:278-279].

It is also narrated from the Prophet that he cursed the one who consumes Riba and the one who provides it for others and he said that they are equal in sin.

Finally, we advise you to rent a house until your financial situation gets better or to buy a house on installments through an Islamic bank or an Islamic investment company if there are any in your area.

Allah knows best.

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