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Student loans

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I wanted to ask whether it will be allowed islamically to take student finance for an open degree at uni. What they do is they say that you only need to pay back the loan IF you ever start earning around £21000 a year. As a woman i know that this is highly unlikely for me as there arent many shariah compliant jobs that pay that much. Therefore i wont be in a position to pay them back inshaaAllah so they wont charge me for any interest nor will they give me any. Is this then allowed? Also will this form of loan still be classed as a qarz as i will only need to repay it if i meet the condition. (So if i dont earn £21000 then i dont need to pay them back).

If so i will try to repay them even if i dont earn 21000 a year as i do not wish to die with a debt on my head.

Please advise on what i should do

Answer

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

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

Sister in Islam,

Your concern to know the Shariah ruling is commendable. May Allah keep you steadfast on Deen.

At the outset wish to point out that in light of the current situation it is impermissible for a woman to go to university. Islam has kept the woman’s place in the home, where she is safe from the Fitnah and corruption of the time. Almighty Allah Ta’āla has mentioned,

{ وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ} [الأحزاب: 33]

Translation: And remain in your homes and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give Zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin],

The environment of university is detrimental to one’s Imān especially in todays co-ed system. Furthermore, the UK government facilitates for their citizens, therefore, there is no need for a muslim woman to go to university and pursue a career

Also, although there is a high possibility you may not pay the interest, however, still you will be engaged in obtaining an interest bearing loan. Allah Ta’āla wages war upon those people that engage in interest based transactions. Consider the following verse:

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (278) فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ } [البقرة: 278، 279]

Translation: O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest if you are indeed believers. And if you do not, then be warned of war (against you) from Allah and His messenger.

Therefore, in light of the severity of the sin of interest we advise that you should not take out a student loan. Also, if you really want to study then you should study a course via correspondence. In this case, you will be saved from the sin of interest and you will be saved from the destructive environment of universities.

May Allah Ta’āla grant you the Taufīq (ability) to make the correct decision. Ameen.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Saleem Khan

Student Darul Iftaa
Bradford, UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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