Car Purchased on Interest - What do i do?
Question
I recently learned about Riba and how it is a sin to pay interst as well as charge interest. My car is purchased on a loan that does charge me interest. My goal is to have all of my interst bearing debts payed off as soon as possible. After I pay off my car loan, would my car be considered haram? Since I purchased it using a car interest loan before I knew that it was haram?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Indeed, interest is absolutely prohibited and a major sin. See the following:
Translation: “But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest.”
Translation: “Oh those who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remains of the Riba (interest) if you are believers. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 278)
Translation: “But if you do not then listen to the declaration of war from Allah and His Messenger.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 279)
Translation: “O you who have believed, do not consume usury/interest, doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah that you may be successful.” (Suran Aal Imran: 130)
Translation: “Jabir (Radhiyallahu Anhu) said that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) cursed the accepter of interest and its payer, and one who records it, and the two witnesses, and he said: They are all equal. (Sahih Muslim: 1598)
Translation: “It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah Bin Hanzalah that Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: One dirham of interest/usury which a man consumes while he is aware (of it being interest), is more severe than thirty-three counts of adultery” (Mishkaat Al-Masaabeeh: 2825)
We take note of your goal to pay out the car loan. If it is possible to obtain an interest free loan from someone, family, friend etc. and pay the loan, then that will be the ideal situation. If that is not possible and you paid the car loan out, the car will be Halal. However, you should make lots of Tawbah and Istighfaar for involving yourself in this very heinous sin of Riba (interest).
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hammad Ibn Ismail Jogiat
Student Darul Iftaa
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا ۚ (سورة البقرة: 275)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ. (سورة البقرة: 278)
فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ (سورة البقرة: 279)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا أَضْعَافًا مُضَاعَفَةً ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (سورة آل عمران: 130)
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ هُمْ سَوَاءٌ (صحيح مسلم: 1598)
عن عبد الله بن حنظلة غسيل الملاءكة قال قال رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم درهم ربا ياكله الرجل و هو يعلم اشد من ستة و ثلاثين زنية
- Answered by
- Hammad Ibn Ismail Jogiat
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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