The remainder of the answer to: Is it better to take the usurious interest and spend it on the poor and building mosques, or to leave it?
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The Shaykh : And we strongly object to giving Muslims weapons to defend themselves with.
This is a challenge to Islamic sentiment, but why? Because, unfortunately, Muslims have so much disobedience that it warrants abandonment. We ask Allah for safety.
Therefore, we say: These usurious funds, which are called interest, are by Allah losses, and it is not permissible to take them under any circumstances. A person is free from their sin if they are spent on churches or on weapons that the enemies of Muslims use against Muslims.
We say to you, O Muslims, if you want to take weapons against them, leave usury. Establish Islamic banks that operate according to the way of Allah, the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and thereby you will be safe.
But suppose the bank insists that you take these usurious funds, as is the case in some banks. Some banks say, "I cannot accept you returning this, because it disrupts my accounts, and I do not accept it," as was reported to us. In that case, you take it because you are forced to, and then you give it in charity to get rid of it. Do not bring it near to Allah.
This is a challenge to Islamic sentiment, but why? Because, unfortunately, Muslims have so much disobedience that it warrants abandonment. We ask Allah for safety.
Therefore, we say: These usurious funds, which are called interest, are by Allah losses, and it is not permissible to take them under any circumstances. A person is free from their sin if they are spent on churches or on weapons that the enemies of Muslims use against Muslims.
We say to you, O Muslims, if you want to take weapons against them, leave usury. Establish Islamic banks that operate according to the way of Allah, the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and thereby you will be safe.
But suppose the bank insists that you take these usurious funds, as is the case in some banks. Some banks say, "I cannot accept you returning this, because it disrupts my accounts, and I do not accept it," as was reported to us. In that case, you take it because you are forced to, and then you give it in charity to get rid of it. Do not bring it near to Allah.