Thursday | 28 March 2024 | 17 Ramadhan 1445

Fatwa Answer

Question ID: 939 Category: Permissible and Impermissible
Life Insurance

Salam alaikum respected scholars,

My late father took out a life insurance policy many years ago after having consulted others and being told that it was halal to do so. He passed away in October 2005. Since then, my mother and I (the only members of my father's immediate family) used the money from his life insurance to pay off our home, purchase a car (we did not have one when my dad passed away), pay for my college education, and other things such as purchasing food, clothing, paying bills, etc. My mom has not had a stable job for the past 2 years or so, so we have been really relying on my father's life insurance for a lot of monetary needs. I do not think we would be able to stop using the life insurance funds, especially because my mother is unemployed and I am still in college without a job.  I am emailing to ask if life insurance is truly permissible or not.

 

Jazakallahu khairun

الجواب وبالله التوفيق

Respected Brother in Islam,

As-Salam ‘Alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh,

It is not permissible to get Life Insurance as it is pure 'Interest' and it is an act of corruption to engage in it.  It should also be noted that gambling is involved in the Insurance business, and cheating and deceiving is its part and parcel.  

 

قال تعالٰی أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ‌(البقرۃ 275

عن عبداللہ بن مسعودؓ قال لعن رسول اللہ ؐ   اٰکل الربوٰ موکلہ وشاھدیہ وکاتبہ(الکتب الستہ مطبوعہ دارالعلوم ، ابوداؤد باب فی اکل الربٰو حدیث 3333

 

And Allāh knows best.