How should one deal with ill-gotten money, and is it permissible to donate it to mosques, orphans, and unmarried individuals, or to invest it and distribute its profits to the poor and needy, or should it be disposed of entirely?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Unlawful money must be disposed of by spending it on general Muslim interests such as mosques, supporting orphans, and helping poor youth get married. It is not sufficient to invest the money and distribute its returns to the poor. If the money was acquired through aggression against others (usurpation or theft), it must be returned to its owner if known. As for money acquired through unlawful means, such as usurious transactions and forbidden jobs, sincere repentance suffices for someone who was ignorant of its prohibition. Many scholars are of the opinion that it is obligatory to dispose of it entirely.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/110050
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 110050
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy