Husband Supporting Family with Haram Money?

If a husband says his only way of supporting the family is by dealing with interest-based work, what should the wife do? Is it ok for her to accept this money as her dowry? The husband is actually helping people LOWER their interest rate on their houses, is this acceptable? What should the wife do?

Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf’s answer:

Assalamu alaykum

In the name of Allah most Gracious Most Merciful.

For the time being the wife can avail of this money and use it. However, the husband must be encouraged to find a more lawful work.

If the work is directly interest related for instance working for a finance house or a bank and dealing with interest based transactions full time, that is unlawful. He should actively look for another job, but until then they can avail of the income for their daily needs.

On the other hand if it not directly related, but he only sometimes deals with interest based accounts or transactions, for instance in an accounting job, then his primary income is lawful. However, the percentage earned through interest based or  other unlawful transactions, will be unlawful. Hence in this case he should only avail of the halal portion and dispose of the rest by giving it to the needy without intention of reward.

In terms of the dowry, it should not to taken from the unlawful income. One can wait for it to be paid later through lawful income.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam
Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari’s answer:

                  The Answer in the name of Allah

    Firstly, it should be known that interest is totally Haraam [unlawful] in Islam and any work which is connected to interest is also Haraam. The Quran and Sunna are quite clear on this. Therefore the interest based work of the person in question is not permissible, thus making his earnings unlawful.

    Secondly, in the situation where the husband supports his family with only unlawful money, the wife should first try her best to convince her husband to leave his job and look for another lawful job. If he insists on carrying on with his job, then if the wife has [lawful] means where by she can provide for her self then she should do that. If this is also not possible, then it will be permissible for her to take from her husbands money and the sin will be on the back of the husband.

    Thirdly, the wife should not take this money as her dowry as it is unlawful money. If she wants she can also forgive her husband from paying the dowry.

    After writing this answer [which is normally given from dar al-uloom karachi], I came across the Fatwa given by one of the great jurists of the recent past in Indo / Pak, Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi, who was the grand Mufti of India for several years. His fatawa collection are in 18 volumes. [This humble servant has also been privileged to read Hadith with him].

    He writes in his Fatawa: If the income of the husband is from bribery or taking somebody else's wealth by force [Gasab], then the wife should not use it, as this is Haram [unlawful] money in it self. However, if the unlawful money was earned due to some other unlawful dealing then it would be permissible and the sin will be on the husband.

[Ibn Abideen has also mentioned similar to this in his "Hashiya" where he talks about unlawful wealth [Maal Haram].

Only Allah knows best.

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari