Fatwa No : 82242
Ruling on Taking an Interest-Based Loan from the Government

Ruling on Taking an Interest-Based Loan from the Government

What do the respected scholars and Muftis say regarding this matter: My life circumstances are such that I am a government employee in grade 6. Since my childhood, I have seen my father engaged in extremely hard labor. I have seven sisters; my father, by earning abroad, has married off five of them. Two sisters remain to be married. My father is still doing laborious work. I have two younger brothers as well, but they are unemployed. I constantly supplicate to Allah Almighty to grant me such a livelihood that I may fully assist my father so that he can spend the rest of his life in comfort. My father resides in Lahore while I live in interior Sindh. The house in which I live belongs to my father, and he takes rent from me every month. As two of my sisters’ marriages are still pending, my father remains distressed, and seeing his worries has made me grow old before my time. After every prayer, I make dua for my father: “O my Lord, have mercy on my parents just as they showed mercy to me in my childhood.” Now I wish to inquire: The Government of Pakistan has announced that government employees can take an advance of twenty-four (24) months’ salary with interest, which is then deducted monthly from their salary. In light of my circumstances, may I take this loan from the government—either to help my parents or to arrange my sisters’ marriages? Kindly read my submission twice and inform me of the ruling. I would be very grateful.
Note: This loan is disbursed by the government from its own account, and the interest deducted each month is kept by the government in its own account.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

The matter mentioned in the question is based on interest; therefore, it is impermissible in Shariah, and it is necessary to abstain from it. However, if one takes a Qard Hasanah (interest-free loan) from a friend, relative, or someone else, and there is no arrangement of interest in it, then such a transaction is undoubtedly lawful and valid.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کمافي مشكاة المصابيح: عن جابر رضي الله عنه قال : لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم آكل الربا وموكله وكاتبه وشاهديه وقال: "هم سواء" . رواه مسلم (2/ 134)۔
وفی الشامیۃ: قولہ کل قرض جر نفعاً حرام،ای اذا کان مشروطاً اھ(5/166)۔