He bought a house with a riba-based loan; should she accept him as a husband?
Question I am a religiously-committed nineteen year old woman. A religiously-committed young man of good character has proposed marriage to me, but I refused because I know that he bought a house by means of a riba-based loan. He comes from a well-off family and he consulted a number of scholars who agreed to this…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The fact that you hate riba and refuse to marry someone who
deals in it is something for which you deserve to be praised and
appreciated. We ask Allaah to increase you in faith, knowledge and piety.
Secondly:
Taking out riba-based loans is emphatically forbidden,
because of the stern warning that has been issued concerning riba, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah and give up what
remains (due to you) from Ribaa (from now onward) if you are (really)
believers.
279. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war
from Allaah and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital
sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you
shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums)”
[al-Baqarah 2:278-279]
Muslim narrated (1598) that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who pays it, the
one who writes it down and the two who witness it, and he said: they are all
the same.
This kind of borrowing is haraam, even if it is to buy a
house. See the answer to question no. 21914 and
22905.
Secondly:
If this young man is acceptable in terms of religious
commitment and character, then pray istikhaarah, asking Allaah for guidance,
and accept his proposal of marriage. There is no sin on you for that, for no
soul is made to bear the burden (of sin) of another. As for him, he has to
repent to Allaah and resolve not to do that again in the future. We hope
that Allaah will forgive him, because he did that on the basis of the
opinion of a number of scholars, as you said, but the correct view is what
we have mentioned. Buying a house is not one of the necessities that makes
riba permissible, and the need for shelter may be met in other ways, such as
renting a suitable house.
May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and
which pleases Him.
And Allaah knows best.
