If the housing crisis and its high cost in a country reach the point where a man lives with his parents in a single room, is it permissible for him to borrow from these interest-based institutions?
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Abd al-Malik: We have a general housing problem in our country. We may find a man and his family living with his father and mother in a single room.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar. In truth, I have heard this repeatedly from our Algerian brothers.
Abd al-Malik: Would this be considered a case of dire necessity that permits him to borrow from interest-based institutions and others?
The Shaykh: I do not see this as permissible, my brother, because the known ruling in Islamic law is that "dire necessities permit the prohibited." This is a correct ruling, but it is not absolute. Perhaps you remember that this principle is qualified by another principle, which is that "dire necessity is measured by its extent." I imagine that if material life and the life of luxury had not dominated many Muslims today, this question, which leads to making interest—prohibited by the Qur'an and Sunnah—permissible, would not have arisen. I imagine that a Muslim who is careful to avoid falling into what Allah has forbidden, and to avoid making himself an enemy of Allah the Mighty and Majestic through interest, is able to set up a tent for the lowest price on any land, which may be common land or may be bought for the cheapest price. But people have become accustomed to civilized life, and it has stamped its mark on them, so they have considered it permissible to commit forbidden acts for the most trivial reasons. If we place these two principles before our eyes, we will never see ourselves as compelled to make interest permissible. For this family, with its large number of members, sleeps and spends the night in one room. It is possible for two or three people, for example a couple, to separate from their father in a tent, while the father remains in the house, and so on. As for rushing directly to make interest permissible on this excuse, I say this is an excuse worse than a sin.
Another questioner: Is it possible, our Shaykh, to sleep in the mosque?
The Shaykh: My dear, that is possible, but life now is not as it was before. Now, the mosques close their doors as soon as the prayer ends. Yes?
Another questioner: Properties
The Shaykh: Yes, in truth, life is difficult, but we must place before our eyes the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Talaq 65:2-3]
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar. In truth, I have heard this repeatedly from our Algerian brothers.
Abd al-Malik: Would this be considered a case of dire necessity that permits him to borrow from interest-based institutions and others?
The Shaykh: I do not see this as permissible, my brother, because the known ruling in Islamic law is that "dire necessities permit the prohibited." This is a correct ruling, but it is not absolute. Perhaps you remember that this principle is qualified by another principle, which is that "dire necessity is measured by its extent." I imagine that if material life and the life of luxury had not dominated many Muslims today, this question, which leads to making interest—prohibited by the Qur'an and Sunnah—permissible, would not have arisen. I imagine that a Muslim who is careful to avoid falling into what Allah has forbidden, and to avoid making himself an enemy of Allah the Mighty and Majestic through interest, is able to set up a tent for the lowest price on any land, which may be common land or may be bought for the cheapest price. But people have become accustomed to civilized life, and it has stamped its mark on them, so they have considered it permissible to commit forbidden acts for the most trivial reasons. If we place these two principles before our eyes, we will never see ourselves as compelled to make interest permissible. For this family, with its large number of members, sleeps and spends the night in one room. It is possible for two or three people, for example a couple, to separate from their father in a tent, while the father remains in the house, and so on. As for rushing directly to make interest permissible on this excuse, I say this is an excuse worse than a sin.
Another questioner: Is it possible, our Shaykh, to sleep in the mosque?
The Shaykh: My dear, that is possible, but life now is not as it was before. Now, the mosques close their doors as soon as the prayer ends. Yes?
Another questioner: Properties
The Shaykh: Yes, in truth, life is difficult, but we must place before our eyes the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect.
ومن يتق الله يجعل له مخرجا ويرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.