Using Riba to offset lawyer’s fees

QUESTION:

We purchased a property in a syndicate with a few partners, and the money held by the lawyers as a guarantee, was invested in a money market account and subsequently accrued interest. Can this money be used to offset the lawyer’s fee, or does it have to be given out with no intention?

ANSWER:

It will not be permissible to use the interest funds (accrued from the money market account) to offset lawyer’s fees, as in doing so, one will be benefitting from the interest funds, which is not permissible. The accrued interest funds must therefore be given out in Sadaqah without any intention of reward, as correctly stated in your query.

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

Re: – Kitaab-un-Nawaazil Vol.11 Pg. 345

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

ANSWERED BY:

Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: – 21 Rabi ul Aakhir 1445 / 06 November 2023

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb