A donation to a madrasa in return for an amulet

Question

Question: Zayd works with amulets, and people have faith in him; but before giving an amulet, this gentleman uses a stratagem (hila), telling the person asking: “First give a contribution for our madrasa,” and taking cash from him according to his means, he gives it to the madrasa. Is it permissible to take this money or not, and is it permissible to take this money and give it to the madrasa or not?

Answer

What need is there for this stratagem? With it, one’s self-sufficiency (istighna’) is preserved and the money is collected as well: people will think that, after all, he is not taking it for himself. Therefore it is appropriate to give the amulet for the sake of Allah and to say: “When recovery comes, help the madrasa as a token of thanks,” because giving sadaqa wards off…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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