She is not comfortable with the idea of taking assistance from a non-Muslim government for her husband’s parents
Question My question is: the government gives my father- and mother-in-law some money for their maintenance, and I am their caregiver. I am very confused. Is this money halaal according to Islam? I do not feel comfortable taking this money. If you take care of your parents can you take money for that? We are…
Question
I hope that you will not show my name on your website. I am waiting for your answer.
Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with taking assistance given by the
government, whether it is Muslim or non-Muslim, to citizens, residents or
refugees in its country, so long as the conditions for receiving this
assistance are met by those who are taking it.
The one who takes this money is taking it lawfully, because
the citizens and residents in a country have rights over its government.
Based on that, what the state is giving to your husband’s
parents is halaal money – in sha Allah – and there is no reason to feel
anxious as to whether it is permissible to take this money to help you in
taking care of them and looking after them.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
There is nothing wrong with accepting assistance from the
non-Muslim state if that will not result in failing to do an obligatory duty
or doing something that is forbidden. They do not have the right to take
assistance except in the official manner stipulated by the state, and they
do not have the right to tell lies in order to get it.
End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 28/239
And Allah knows best.
