Paying Traffic Fines Using Interest

QUESTION:

Interest on our bank account is is removed monthly and discarded of. Can we use this money to pay off traffic fines?

ANSWER:

No, it cannot be used to pay fines. The recipients of interest funds are poor Muslims who are eligible to receive Zakaah, or poor non-Muslims without the intention of gaining any reward. Also, interest from a bank should not be left in the bank, since banks generally give it to the Christian missionary organizations.

قَالَ عُلَمَاؤُنَا إِنَّ سَبِيلَ التَّوْبَةِ مِمَّا بِيَدِهِ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ الْحَرَامِ إِنْ كَانَتْ مِنْ رِبًا فليردها على من أربى عليه، ومطلبه إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَاضِرًا، فَإِنْ أَيِسَ مِنْ وُجُودِهِ فَلْيَتَصَدَّقْ بِذَلِكَ عَنْهُ (الجامع لأحكام القرآن الكريم للقرطبي 3/366)

ويردونها على أربابها إن عرفوهم، وإلا تصدقوا بها لأن سبيل الكسب الخبيث التصدق إذا تعذر الرد على صاحبه

(الدر المختار و حاشية ابن عابدين 6/385)

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: 22 Safar 1447 / 17 August 2025