What is the ruling on accepting a gift from someone to whom a benevolent loan was given, if the giver is wealthy and the recipient is poor and cannot return gifts?
If a man's wealth is entirely unlawful, or if the transaction involves the unlawful money itself, then it is not permissible to deal with him through selling, gifting, or borrowing. However, if the wealth is mixed, it is permissible to deal with him by giving a goodly loan and accepting a gift, though it is disliked. It is not permissible to accept his gift if his wealth is entirely unlawful, or if the gift is from the unlawful money itself, and they should advise him. If you are unable to donate the unlawful money that came into your possession, and you are repentant, then you are not obliged to donate it, and you may benefit from it if you are in need. If you wish to be more scrupulous by donating it when able, that is more preferable. Al-Ghazali said: If unlawful wealth has a specific owner, it must be returned to him. If its owner is not known, then it should be spent on the general welfare of Muslims or given as charity to the poor, and a poor person is permitted to take from it what he needs.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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