Question: 

I have retired recently and had stopped all my policies I had taken out years ago. I have calculated the capital amount I had actually paid/ contributed all the years and kept that as my personal invested money. The rest I considered as interest as they were unable to verify with certainty where my money was invested.

I now sit with a huge amount of interest which I want to dispose of as follows, but need guidance on whether I am doing it correctly I.t.o. sharia:

1) My domestic is struggling to get her shack and is in need of a shack for her and her family. She is unable to afford it and is the sole breadwinner for her school going children.

 Can I help her without expecting repayment or appreciation or obviously, sawaab?

2) Can I help a family member who is paying interest on their only vehicle? They are told if they pay the interest lump sum off, they will only be owing on the outstanding capital which will not accrue further interest.

3)Can I help any family member to pay off part of their bond amount, as they are unable to pay the monthly contributions?

4) There is an unknown, unoccupied erf opposite my house which is not serviced by the local municipality. Despite various calls to clean it, fell on deaf ears. It has now become a dumping ground with wild trees, bushes, dustbin dirt, building material, and a health hazard as well. Can I use the money to clean it and cordon it off with the permission  from the municipality???

Answer: 

The Shar’i verdict with regard to interest money is that it must be given to a person eligible for receiving zakaat without an intention of reward. i

1. It will be allowed to help the domestic who apparently does not own the nisaab amount to build a shack or build a shack for her and make her the sole owner of it.

2. If this family person is eligible for receiving zakat like for example he is in debt and does not have enough assets or money to pay off his debts, it will be allowed to give him the money which he may channel wherever he desires.

3. Same as above.

4. It is not allowed.ii

AND ALLAH TA'AALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST

ANSWERED BY: Sohel Lala 

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY: Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B. 

Islamic Date: ١٦ جمادى الاولي ١٤٤١ 

English Date: 12 January 2020

) i رد المحتار ٣٨٥:٦ مكتبه سعيد(

) مجموعة الفتاوي ٢٢٧:٢ سعيد(

) معارف السنن ٣٤:١ مكتبه سعيد(

)فتاوي محموديه ٢٨٢:١٦ مكتبه فاروقيه(

)فتاوي عالمكيريه ٣٤٩:٥ رشيديه(

ii ) فتاوي قاسميه ٥٨٤:٤ مكتبه اشرفيه(