Title: Inheritance from Haram Money

Question: A man was a government employee and has earned good amount of money during his office tenure through legal and illegal means (bribes/favours etc.). (1) After retirement if wants to distribute his earnings amongst his children can he do so? (2) Is it halal for his children to accept such money? (3) Can the children temporarily accept the money for buying a house as a loan and payback to father? (4) After the child has collected the money to pay back the loan in due course and it is not possible to pay back due to disrespect of parents, can the child distribute the money to needy? Please guide.

Answer ID: 65043Posted on: Sep 1, 2020

Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

(Fatwa: 962/988/L=09/1437)

(1 & 2) The said person should return all the money (bribe etc) which he took illegally to their real owners if he remembers them; otherwise he should give it in charity on their behalf. The details of using the money by his children is that if he has mixed the income i.e. lawful and unlawful both types of money and the lawful income is dominant then it shall be right for the children to use them. But if the haram and unlawful income is dominant then it is not lawful for the children to use it.

(3) The ruling shall be the same which is mentioned above in case of taking the money as loan.

(4) In case the owners are known then it shall not be sufficient to give the money in charity.