Answered by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
I am the only-child of my parents, and am 18 years old. I have a very serious worry. My father (who is the bread winner of the family) is involved in Riba. My father earns a salary of approximately 4000 Dhs., Alhamdulilah. Allah Has blessed us, Glory be to Him. However, my father has also kept some money in the bank, and obviously he gets bank interest added to the money he has saved in the bank. The tragedy is, he does not get rid of this haram money, but rather keeps it, and my fear is, uses it. I have told my parents in the past that riba is haram, and we should fear Allah, and get rid of it. My father works for a shipping company, and to my knowledge, the money he earns from his work is halal, Alhamdulilah. However, my worry is that the haram money, has become mixed with the halal. What do I do? My parents are not listening to me, and I ask Allah to guide them and me, and forgive them and me, Ameen. What should I do? Am I also getting the sin of being involved in riba, and haram money?
In the name of Allah, most Compassionate, most Merciful
Firstly, it should be known that it is Haram (unlawful) for a Muslim to to have any kind of dealings with interest. Therefore one should abstain from saving money in accounts which accrue interest. The money acquired through interest bearing accounts should be given away for charity to those people who are extremely poor and without the intention of reward.
You should explain to your father that interest is Haram, in a polite and gentle manner and with wisdom. Mention to him the severe punishments promised in the holy Qur’an for those who are involved in interest. If you do that, then you have fulfilled your responsibility and you will not be sinful for his actions.
Secondly, if the earnings of your father is mostly Halal (as you mention that his main earnings are from a shipping company), and some Haram wealth has been mixed with it, then it is permitted to take, eat, and accept gifts, etc from that money and you need not to investigate.
However, if his main income is Haram, then you must investigate before accepting and taking something from that money. If he says that whatever I provide you with is from Halal money, then you should take his word and accept it. You should have no doubts as a Muslim should always have a good opinion about others, especially when the person in question is a father.
(Based on the text of Fatawa al-Hindiyya, V.5, p.343 and the Fatwa of Darul Uloom Karachi, approved by Mufti Taqi Usmani).
And Allah knows best
Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari