In office, we are able to take a loan from our end of service benefits that gets collected and a small percentage of interst is charged. Is this allowed taking into consideration that this is given out of our own money, i.e money that gets collected monthly and due to us when we leave the organisation.
A small amount of brandy (alchohol) is used in making some types of cake. It is not intoxicating as the amount used is little. Is it permissible to eat.
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
1) It is not permissible to take any loan which involves interest. Riba (usury, interest) is strictly prohibited according to the Holy Quran and the Hadith of Rasulullah (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam). Allah Ta’ala says:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتقوا الله وذروا ما بقي من الربا إن كنتم مؤمنين…. فإن لم تفعلوا فأذنوا بحرب من الله ورسوله وإن تبتم فلكم رءوس أموالكم لا تظلمون ولا تظلمون
“O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remains of usury, if you are believers. But if you do not (give it up), then listen to the declaration of war from Allah and His Messenger. However, if you repent, yours is your principal. Neither wrong, nor be wronged”. (2:278-279)
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تأكلوا الربا أضعافا مضاعفة واتقوا الله لعلكم تفلحون
“O you who believe, do not eat up the amounts acquired through interest, doubled and multiplied. Fear Allah, so that you may be successful. (3:130)
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RadiyAllahu Anhu) narrates:
لعن رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- آكل الربا وموكله وشاهده وكاتبه.
“Rasulullah (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) cursed the one who accepted interest, paid interest, witnessed it, and recorded it.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Vol. 2, P. 117, HM Saeed)
2) It is not permissible to eat such types of cake. Alternative cakes which are free of alcohol are available.
وأما الأشربة المتخذة من الشعير أو الذرة أو التفاح أو العسل إذا اشتد ، وهو مطبوخ أو غير مطبوخ فإنه يجوز شربه ما دون السكر عند أبي حنيفة وأبي يوسف – رحمهما الله تعالى – وعند محمد – رحمه الله تعالى – حرام شربه قال الفقيه : وبه نأخذ كذا في الخلاصة فإن سكر من هذه الأشربة فالسكر والقدح المسكر حرام بالإجماع
(Fatawa Hindiyya, Vol. 5, P. 499, Darul Kutub Ilmiyya)
( وحرم قليلها وكثيرها ) بالإجماع
(Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 6, P. 448, HM Saeed)
(Al-Bahr al-Raaiq, Vol. 8, P. 218, Rashidiyya)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Asif Umar,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In’aamiyyah