What is the ruling on life and property insurance?
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The Shaykh : Give me another one.
The questioner : He says:The questioner : What is the ruling on life and property insurance? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Life insurance is not permissible, because if the one who has taken out life insurance is visited by the angel of death, can he be referred to the insurance company?!
It is not possible. Therefore, life insurance is an error, foolishness, and misguidance. Furthermore, it involves relying on this company instead of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because the one who has taken out life insurance relies on the fact that if he dies, this company will provide for his heirs' sustenance and expenses. This is reliance on other than Allah.
The origin of this issue, whether it is life insurance or property insurance, is taken from gambling. In fact, it is gambling in reality. And gambling, as we all know, is associated in the Book of Allah with shirk (associating partners with Allah), divination by lots, and intoxicants, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90] And how is it related to gambling?
Because this person, if he pays a certain amount of money every year, may remain for many long years paying this money, and he will be the loser, or will he be the winner?
The student: The loser.
The Shaykh : He will be the loser. And if he dies soon, the company becomes the loser and he becomes the winner. Any contract that revolves between loss and gain is gambling.
The questioner : He says:The questioner : What is the ruling on life and property insurance? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Life insurance is not permissible, because if the one who has taken out life insurance is visited by the angel of death, can he be referred to the insurance company?!
It is not possible. Therefore, life insurance is an error, foolishness, and misguidance. Furthermore, it involves relying on this company instead of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because the one who has taken out life insurance relies on the fact that if he dies, this company will provide for his heirs' sustenance and expenses. This is reliance on other than Allah.
The origin of this issue, whether it is life insurance or property insurance, is taken from gambling. In fact, it is gambling in reality. And gambling, as we all know, is associated in the Book of Allah with shirk (associating partners with Allah), divination by lots, and intoxicants, as Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا إنما الخمر والميسر والأنصاب والأزلام رجس من عمل الشيطان فاجتنبوه لعلكم تفلحونBecause this person, if he pays a certain amount of money every year, may remain for many long years paying this money, and he will be the loser, or will he be the winner?
The student: The loser.
The Shaykh : He will be the loser. And if he dies soon, the company becomes the loser and he becomes the winner. Any contract that revolves between loss and gain is gambling.