Fatwa #3743823 March 2017United Kingdom
Surviving on Loans from People
Question
If a person whose business is not working for a long time, for years. and he takes loans to survive for himself and family. And yet it's not enough him (nit enough for children's education etc). And he takes the loan money by lying to people.that he will invest in business and will give them profit, yet he uses it for him and his family (in a situation where he unable to earn anything for himself) and have a danger to go in the prison is this sort of lying permissible especially in this situation?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We do not know whether you are referring to yourself or to another person. In that case, we do not know the relationship between the two and the circumstances. Nevertheless, in general, speaking lies and deceiving are prohibited.
مَالِكٌ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ؛ أَنَّهُ قِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: أَيَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ جَبَاناً؟ فَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَيَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ بَخِيلاً؟ فَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَيَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ كَذَّاباً (1)؟ فَقَالَ: «لاَ
موطأ مالك ت الأعظمي (5/ 1441)
Imam Malik narrates from Safwan ibn Sulaim …..“Can a Mu’min be a liar?” Nabi ﷺ said no.
If it is also possible to lead a simple life by reducing ones expenses, one should do so. That will relieve one from the burden of debts, lies and cheating.[i]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
أَقْرَضَهُ وَشَرَطَ شَرْطًا لَهُ فِيهِ مَنْفَعَةٌ؛ لِمَا رُوِيَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ «نَهَى عَنْ قَرْضٍ جَرَّ نَفْعًا» ؛ وَلِأَنَّ الزِّيَادَةَ الْمَشْرُوطَةَ تُشْبِهُ الرِّبَا؛ لِأَنَّهَا فَضْلٌ لَا يُقَابِلُهُ عِوَضٌ، وَالتَّحَرُّزُ عَنْ حَقِيقَةِ الرِّبَا، وَعَنْ شُبْهَةِ الرِّبَا وَاجِبٌ هَذَا إذَا كَانَتْ الزِّيَادَةُ مَشْرُوطَةً فِي الْقَرْضِ
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (395/7)