Assalaam alaikum. I am a student who took a few accounting classes at a local university. A few months after having completed the courses, I received a check in the mail for a sum of money. It was from a charity affiliated with the school, and the letter said that it was a reward that is given to various accounting students to encourage the study of accounting. The charity might be from a Christian charity, so my question is whether I can accept such money from a Christian charity?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. 

There is no harm in accepting this reward even if it is offered by a Christian charity. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, accepted the gifts offered to him by non-Muslims, such as Caesar and Al-Muqawqis. Al-Bukhari entitled a chapter in his Saheeh: “Accepting gifts from non-Muslims,” in which he cited several ahaadeeth in this regard.

However, you should be cautious and mindful of such institutions as some of them may offer gifts for the purpose of luring Muslims into giving up their religion. It is most likely that such institutions do not give except to serve a hidden purpose.

Allaah knows best.