Friday 19 Ramadan 1445 - 29 March 2024
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A minor whose parents' income is haram

Question

If you are a minor and your parents earn income that might be haram for example they service businesses among them are bars, and deal with interest like when paying deposits on a apartments they rent out. My question is that there is I think (several hadith) where it says that Allah does not accept du'as and prayers of those who get there sustenance through haram means. If a little of the sustenance (money) is from haram means, and you are a minor in this case does hadith count in your case?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Expenditure is obligatory upon a father to his son/daughter according to the Islamic law and shari'ah, as regards his/her housing, clothing, food, drink and the like. However, the concept is not tied to being a "minor" in the sense of Western laws. The requirement according to Islamic shari'ah are:

  • that the person spent upon is poor or does not own anything, or does not own or possess what is enough for his requirements and is unable to gain their own income.
  • that the one spending has enough wealth to spend on himself and his wife.
  • that the one spending and the one spent upon are of the same religion.

When the son/daughter is in need for expenses, then he/she is allowed to take from his/her father's earning even though it is haram (forbidden). In such a case his/her du'aa' to Allah won't be affected, since being a minor, he/she has neither might nor power. But while doing so, he/she should abide by the following observations:

  1. Not to expand and widen the scope of taking or accepting from his/her father's illegitimate earnings.
  2. He/she should try if he/she is able to earn a halaal income to become independent and self-sufficient and no longer in need of the father's support.
  3. To try as hard as possible all ways to admonish and advise he/her parents in the hope that Allah Almighty may guide them towards repentance from haram earnings.

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Source: Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid