Spending interest money on building houses for Muslims affected by riots

Question

Question: In the recent riots in Ahmedabad, Baroda and elsewhere, the miscreants wreaked the greatest havoc where Muslims were in a minority and lived scattered here and there; and where the population of a neighbourhood is Muslim in the form of a compact community, the miscreants are afraid to come or do not come. In any case, in view of this harm the plan arises that the Muslims living scattered should come and settle in Muslim communities and neighbourhoods.

Answer

(1) The prohibition of an interest-based transaction is established by explicit text (mansus). For one in dire necessity (mudtarr) the prohibition of a haram thing is lifted: to save one’s life, eating a haram thing becomes necessary when there is no other recourse, but permission extends only to the amount by which life can be saved, not more.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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