Is it permissible to pay off a debt owed to relatives first, or to pay off a bank loan with interest, knowing that the debt to relatives is years old?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Borrowing with usury without an urgent necessity is a major sin, and one must repent from it. If it is possible to repay usurious debts by disposing of some non-essential properties while also repaying relatives' debts, then that must be done. If that is not possible, then one should prioritize repaying relatives' debts and turn to Allah in repentance from dealing with usury, and supplicate frequently.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/71150
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 71150
- 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