How to get rid of usurious money?
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The questioner : Shaykh, a continuation of the topic of usurious benefits.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : We have Muslims in Europe who, praise be to Allah the Exalted, have turned to purifying their wealth, but they have
accumulated wealth from these usurious benefits in Europe, and they ask us frequently about the Islamic ruling in this matter. I heard that you mentioned public utilities; what are the public utilities that you consider as such?
The Shaykh : Public utilities are those from which the general public benefits, and no individual person benefits from them. In other words, these usurious benefits, which are not lawful and it is not permissible to give any of them to a poor person so that he benefits from them, are for public utilities: building a hospital for the poor and the needy, building a bridge, digging a water channel in a place where there is no water, and so on. That is, the general public benefits from it, not an individual person.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : We have Muslims in Europe who, praise be to Allah the Exalted, have turned to purifying their wealth, but they have
accumulated wealth from these usurious benefits in Europe, and they ask us frequently about the Islamic ruling in this matter. I heard that you mentioned public utilities; what are the public utilities that you consider as such?
The Shaykh : Public utilities are those from which the general public benefits, and no individual person benefits from them. In other words, these usurious benefits, which are not lawful and it is not permissible to give any of them to a poor person so that he benefits from them, are for public utilities: building a hospital for the poor and the needy, building a bridge, digging a water channel in a place where there is no water, and so on. That is, the general public benefits from it, not an individual person.