Fatwa No : 84173
Use of interest-based money / Ruling on giving interest-based money in taxes

Use of interest-based money / Ruling on giving interest-based money in taxes

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

The questioner and his business partners, according to government instructions, have deposited a certain amount of money with government representatives as security. It is undoubtedly permissible and correct to reclaim that principal amount and use it for personal needs.
However, the interest (riba) that has accumulated on this amount due to it being kept in a bank account is not permissible for personal use. Having said that, it is permissible to take that interest amount and give it to a charitable organization, to be spent on eligible (needy) individuals—without the intention of earning reward (sawab).
As for using the interest money to pay government taxes, the detailed ruling is as follows:
• If the tax imposed by the government is unjust (i.e., oppressive), and the said amount was placed in a government bank and interest was earned from it, then in such a case, it is permissible to take the interest money and use it for paying taxes.
• However, if the tax is not unjust, or if the money was kept in a non-government (private) bank and earned interest, then in such cases, it is not permissible to use that interest amount to pay taxes.
Instead, it becomes necessary to give that interest money to eligible recipients of zakat, without the intention of reward.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

قال الله تعالى: {يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ } [البقرة: 278]
كما فى حاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار): والحاصل أنه إن علم أرباب الأموال وجب رده عليهم، وإلا فإن علم عين الحرام لا يحل له ويتصدق به بنية صاحبه اھ (5/ 99)
و في حاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار)؛ ويردونها على أربابها إن عرفوهم، وإلا تصدقوا بها لأن سبيل الكسب الخبيث التصدق إذا تعذر الرد على صاحبه اهـ (6/ 385)
و في بذل المجهود في حل سنن أبي داود: قلنا: الآية والحديث يدلان على حرمة التصدق بالمال الحرام لأجل تحصيل الأجر والثواب، وقد أشير إليه في الحديث بقوله: "لا يقبل الله" فإذا تصدق بالمال الحرام يريد القبول والأجر يحرم عليه ذلك، وأما إذا كان عند رجل مال خبيث، فإما إن ملكه بعقد فاسد، أو حصل له بغير عقد، ولا يمكنه أن يرده إلى مالكه، ويريد أن يدفع مظلمته عن نفسه، فليس له حيلة إلا أن يدفعه إلى الفقراء اھ (1/ 359) والله اعلم بالصواب