Can Money Gained From Interest Be Used To Pay Taxes?

Question:

Assalamu ‘Alaykum.
Is it better to leave interest from a non-Islamic bank (leaving it increases the bank’s profits) or to take it and give it away? Can one use interest to pay taxes in a non-Islamic country?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

It is best to ask the bank to stop giving you interest, as accepting it is haram if they can’t close your account. They should set up a current account that doesn’t accrue interest.

The interest money is haram for you. You cannot benefit from it. The way to get rid of it is by giving it to the poor or to a project that will benefit the public. You can’t use it for personal benefit, which includes paying taxes.

Take these small steps to shun interest. You may find it brings a lot of good and baraka into your life. At the very least, it will keep you from being at war with Allah.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.