What to do with extra money got from life insurance Fatwa No: 91113
- Fatwa Date:5-2-2006
My aunt has bought insurance 18 years back by her son's name. She has submitted 50 thousand rupees in these 18 years gradually. Now according to that insurance she will get 1 lakh rupees but these more 50 thousand rupees are "Ribaa" according to our limited knowledge. Please confirm it. You if it so then what should she do of that extra 5o thousand rupees, should she left that in the bank or she can give it to some needy person or any other place to spend it? Please reply as soon as possible to this problem because she is very upset of this problem the date to get this money is very close. May Allaah reward you for your good deeds.
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
We have clarified in many Fataawa that the contemporary insurance policies are forbidden. See the details in our Fatwa: 81425 and 85811.
Now she has to sincerely repent to Allaah for what she had committed and should seek His forgiveness.
The extra money she gets is nothing but Ribaa (interest and usury). So, she should take it and spend it in the public interest of the Muslims as we have advised in our Fatwa 85560.
Allaah Knows best.