Benefiting from unlawful earnings
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa number ( 12423 )
Q: I used to work in a circus, and I moved to a job in one of the hotels in Casablanca . I want you to know that during my time of ignorance, I used to perform the deeds of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance and committed the greatest of crimes—I ask Allah to forgive me for that. I had accumulated wealth from that through haram means, in the form of gold, and I used to adorn myself with it. It was a large amount, amounting to nearly twenty million centimes. I have done nothing with it since I knew the path of Allah and returned to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Since I am unemployed, some of my brothers in Allah advised me to look into whether it is possible for me to sell my share of the gold and engage in trade, and to also sell the women’s clothing that I used to wear during my work, which is all immodest and not even useful for sisters to wear inside the home. Therefore,
I would like you to issue a ruling on this matter, especially since I have reached an age where it is obligatory for me to get married, if Allah wills. The questions are: 1- Can I sell part of the gold and open a shop for trade? 2- Can I sell part of it and open a shop for selling gold? May Allah reward you with good.
A: If your earnings of gold and clothing are from haram sources, it is not permissible for you to sell them or benefit from them. It is obligatory for you to return them to their owners if that is feasible; otherwise, you must dispose of them by spending them in the causes of righteousness. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I used to work in a circus, and I moved to a job in one of the hotels in Casablanca . I want you to know that during my time of ignorance, I used to perform the deeds of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance and committed the greatest of crimes—I ask Allah to forgive me for that. I had accumulated wealth from that through haram means, in the form of gold, and I used to adorn myself with it. It was a large amount, amounting to nearly twenty million centimes. I have done nothing with it since I knew the path of Allah and returned to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Since I am unemployed, some of my brothers in Allah advised me to look into whether it is possible for me to sell my share of the gold and engage in trade, and to also sell the women’s clothing that I used to wear during my work, which is all immodest and not even useful for sisters to wear inside the home. Therefore,
I would like you to issue a ruling on this matter, especially since I have reached an age where it is obligatory for me to get married, if Allah wills. The questions are: 1- Can I sell part of the gold and open a shop for trade? 2- Can I sell part of it and open a shop for selling gold? May Allah reward you with good.
A: If your earnings of gold and clothing are from haram sources, it is not permissible for you to sell them or benefit from them. It is obligatory for you to return them to their owners if that is feasible; otherwise, you must dispose of them by spending them in the causes of righteousness. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.