Assalaamu A’laikum. Hazrat My father(57 years ) is gonna be retired in the next December as Deputy Director, Labour Ministry. We are only two brothers (26 and 28 years) working as government employees (First class). For the past 5/6 years my father has been trying to be religious Alhamdulillah. But in the past my father took bribe though he did not demand anything or give any illegal facilties in lieu of taking bribe; the official system as well as his religious weakness enticed him to take those. By those bribe he bought a piece of land in about 20 years ago. Recntly my elder brother has built some shops and rooms with some money(not all, around 1 lack taka) from loan of my father’s provident fund and thereby we get rent monthly around Tk. 20,000. Now hazrat is it permissible to eat or utilize for other purposes from this rental earnings? if it is rquired to do Sadka, will we have to do the purchasing price of the land or the current price or including the price of the rooms majority of which were built from money of provident fund? I have heard that continual sadka in a certain little amount from a HALAL souce can be done up to the price of such HARAM property. is it true? Please dua for us.
Answer
(Fatwa: 000/000=D=1430)
Using provident fund is lawful. If the extra amount was not deducted with consent, only compulsory fund was deducted, then it is permissible to receive and use the fund. As far as bribe is concerned, it is necessary as much as possible to return the amount to those from whom it was taken. If it is not possible, give the same amount in charity to the poor though bit by bit or lump sum. The bribe taken while land purchase, the same amount only will be returned to the owners or to give in charity to the poor, not existing cost of land or its buildings.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband