Letting a house for more rent than it was taken for

Question

Question: I intend to go to Makka al-Mukarrama, because my sons live there. I live separately from them, but I wish to live there in a rented house. If I take a suitable flat there for six-eight thousand riyals and in the Hajj season let it to pilgrims for, say, fifteen thousand riyals, then in this case I will easily make a profit of eight thousand riyals. The question is: taking an interest-free loan (qard hasan), may I let that very house which I have rented to others for more rent than that, or not?

Answer

The arrangement you want is not correct even at any other place outside the bounds of the blessed Haram. Whatever amount of house rent you pay, wherever it may be, you may let it to another for that same amount; if you take more than that, you will have to give it away as sadaqa.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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