What is the ruling on one who became entangled in participating in joint-stock companies and did not know that they deal in riba, and cannot dispose of the shares except by selling them?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : Your Eminence, I came from Madinah for a purpose regarding your Eminence. I have a question for myself and two questions I was asked to ask, which I will postpone. As for my question, I will raise it: I have...
The Shaykh : None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
The questioner : Until I prefer them, meaning I have a need, so I postpone it with them.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : If you wish to prioritize them.
The Shaykh : No, no, no, the time has ended or nearly ended. Yes.
The questioner : I became entangled in a joint-stock company and invested in it, not knowing about its riba and that it would engage in riba. Then it became clear to me later that it engaged in riba, stated this openly, and announced bank interest.
Then I wanted to get rid of this matter, so I went to them and said: Give me what I gave you, and take what you have gained. They refused.
They said: You have no option but to sell these shares and take your capital, and you are free with the rest, whether you consume it or leave it.
But I have a doubt that occurred to me, which is that I know that these shares I will dispose of by selling after taking their interest, because they do not permit selling until you take the interest. I know that I will exit these shares and entangle another brother of mine in Allah in them, because he will buy them after that. These shares cannot be returned to the company if its capital is one million shares and I have three hundred shares, because the shares are fixed unless another person takes my place.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 13 So, by Allah, I do not love to exit the Fire and throw another brother of mine into it in my place.
This doubt confronted me and made me doubt that there is no escape from selling. So I resolved to leave this money and exit, but they said: This will remain preserved, and even if you die, it will be for your heirs after you with interest. I want to get rid of this, and this doubt has confronted me. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : I hope that your getting rid of it for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, is better for you than the world and what is in it. As for the one who comes after you taking it, the sin is upon him. You have cleared yourself by saying to the company: Either you buy it, you buy it, you founders, buy it.
The questioner : The company in its name, or an individual from the company?The Shaykh : In its name or an individual from it, but an individual is a bit difficult, because selling to an individual means cooperating in sin.
The questioner : I am not willing to sell the shares to the company itself.
The Shaykh : If you are not willing, leave it for Allah, and Allah will compensate you.
The questioner : I will willingly leave this, except that I will know it is preserved for my children after me?
The Shaykh : That is not your concern, it is your ability.
The questioner : Meaning, I write in my will that this matter...
The Shaykh : Just leave it. If the heirs come after you, they are the responsible ones. Write advice for those after you that I advise you not to approach this company. Yes.
And the problem is not the issue of riba in this company that you refer to. The problem is that we heard that it usurps people's money, and we do not know. The responsibility is on what we heard. We heard that some people were harmed, and some died when they were prevented from their properties. So Allah knows best.
But in any case, leaving it is better.
The questioner : I leave my money, even if it is thousands upon thousands?The Shaykh : You said: three hundred shares, three hundred shares.
The questioner : About ten thousand riyals?
The Shaykh : Ten thousand, if Allah is making you self-sufficient, it is easy.
The questioner : It does not harm me to leave it.
The Shaykh : If it does not harm you, leave it, but do not prolong the talk. Leave it, and Allah will compensate you. There is nothing in it.
The questioner : And it does not harm me if those after me come.
The Shaykh : It does not harm you at all. The sin is upon them. Come on, brother.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : Your Eminence, I came from Madinah for a purpose regarding your Eminence. I have a question for myself and two questions I was asked to ask, which I will postpone. As for my question, I will raise it: I have...
The Shaykh : None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
The questioner : Until I prefer them, meaning I have a need, so I postpone it with them.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : If you wish to prioritize them.
The Shaykh : No, no, no, the time has ended or nearly ended. Yes.
The questioner : I became entangled in a joint-stock company and invested in it, not knowing about its riba and that it would engage in riba. Then it became clear to me later that it engaged in riba, stated this openly, and announced bank interest.
Then I wanted to get rid of this matter, so I went to them and said: Give me what I gave you, and take what you have gained. They refused.
They said: You have no option but to sell these shares and take your capital, and you are free with the rest, whether you consume it or leave it.
But I have a doubt that occurred to me, which is that I know that these shares I will dispose of by selling after taking their interest, because they do not permit selling until you take the interest. I know that I will exit these shares and entangle another brother of mine in Allah in them, because he will buy them after that. These shares cannot be returned to the company if its capital is one million shares and I have three hundred shares, because the shares are fixed unless another person takes my place.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.
لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسهThis doubt confronted me and made me doubt that there is no escape from selling. So I resolved to leave this money and exit, but they said: This will remain preserved, and even if you die, it will be for your heirs after you with interest. I want to get rid of this, and this doubt has confronted me. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good?
The Shaykh : I hope that your getting rid of it for the sake of Allah, the Exalted, is better for you than the world and what is in it. As for the one who comes after you taking it, the sin is upon him. You have cleared yourself by saying to the company: Either you buy it, you buy it, you founders, buy it.
The questioner : The company in its name, or an individual from the company?The Shaykh : In its name or an individual from it, but an individual is a bit difficult, because selling to an individual means cooperating in sin.
The questioner : I am not willing to sell the shares to the company itself.
The Shaykh : If you are not willing, leave it for Allah, and Allah will compensate you.
The questioner : I will willingly leave this, except that I will know it is preserved for my children after me?
The Shaykh : That is not your concern, it is your ability.
The questioner : Meaning, I write in my will that this matter...
The Shaykh : Just leave it. If the heirs come after you, they are the responsible ones. Write advice for those after you that I advise you not to approach this company. Yes.
And the problem is not the issue of riba in this company that you refer to. The problem is that we heard that it usurps people's money, and we do not know. The responsibility is on what we heard. We heard that some people were harmed, and some died when they were prevented from their properties. So Allah knows best.
But in any case, leaving it is better.
The questioner : I leave my money, even if it is thousands upon thousands?The Shaykh : You said: three hundred shares, three hundred shares.
The questioner : About ten thousand riyals?
The Shaykh : Ten thousand, if Allah is making you self-sufficient, it is easy.
The questioner : It does not harm me to leave it.
The Shaykh : If it does not harm you, leave it, but do not prolong the talk. Leave it, and Allah will compensate you. There is nothing in it.
The questioner : And it does not harm me if those after me come.
The Shaykh : It does not harm you at all. The sin is upon them. Come on, brother.