Is it possible to take out life insurance only to pay of the debt amount?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

It is not permissible to take out life insurance in general and in this specific situation.[1] We advise you to read the following dua and make an effort to pay off the debt. Inshallah Allah will make means to pay off the debt amount. 

Consider the following Hadith

المسند الموضوعي الجامع للكتب العشرة (15/ 121)

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ: دَخَلَ رَسُولُ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ الْمَسْجِدَ، فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ: أَبُو أُمَامَةَ، فَقَالَ: “يَا أُمَامَةَ، مَا لِي أَرَاكَ جَالِسًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِ الصَّلَاةِ؟ “، قَالَ: هُمُومٌ لَزِمَتْنِي، وَدُيُونٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: “أَفَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلَامًا إِذَا أَنْتَ قُلْتَهُ أَذْهَبَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَمَّكَ، وَقَضَى عَنْكَ دَيْنَكَ؟ “، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: بَلَى، يَا رَسُولَ، قَالَ: ” قُلْ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ، وَإِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ، وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ “، قَالَ: فَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ، فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَمِّي، وَقَضَى عَنِّي دَيْنِي

Narrated AbuSa’id al-Khudri: One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque. He saw there a man from the Ansar called AbuUmamah. He said: What is the matter that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when there is no time of prayer? He said: I am entangled in cares and debts, Messenger of Allah. He replied: Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, Allah will remove your care, and settle your debt? He said: Why not, Messenger of Allah? He said: Say in the morning and evening:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ

Allahumma Inni a’udhubika minal hammi wal huzni wa a’udhubika minal ‘Ajzi wal kasli wa a’udhubika minal bukhli wal jubni wa a’udhubika min ghalabatid dayni wa qahrir rijal.

“O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from care and grief, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and slackness, I seek refuge in Thee from cowardice and niggardliness, and I seek in Thee from being overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men.” He said: When I did that Allah removed my care and settled my debt.   (Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1555)

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Syed Haneef

Student Darul Iftaa
New York, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai