Assalamualaikum Warhmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
I’m trying my best to find scholarships and interest free loans that can support the high cost of medical school education. Nontheless, this is a very difficult process. There is a program offered by the government i.e. “loan repayment program”. They pay off your loans (which accrues interest for four years), if you work in underserved areas for 4 years (https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/). I’d rather not touch interest at all, but still wanted to ask what the Islamic perspective is in regard to this program.
JazakAllahu Khaira
الجواب وباللہ التوفیق
If you could get interest-free loan or scholarship for your education, then it is considered permissible to do so. However, if the intent is to take an interest bearing loan then it is considered impermissible to take such loan.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ .فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ (البقرہ:۲۷۸و279)
الربوا سبعون جزء ًا ایسرھا ان ینکح الرجل امہ (مشکوٰۃ سریف ص ۲۴۶ باب المنھی عنہا من البیوع)
قال رسول اﷲ ﷺدرھم ربوایا کلہ الرجل وھویعلم اشد من ستۃ و ثلثین زینۃ۔(مشکوٰۃ شریف ص ۲۴۶ باب ابربوا)
دعوا الربوا والریبۃ (مشکوٰۃ شریف ص۲۴۶ باب الربوا)
قال عمر تركنا تسعة أعشار الحلال مخافة الربا (مصنف عبد الرزاق:۱۴۶۸۴)
فقط واللہ اعلم بالصواب