Does Ḥaram Money Become Ḥalāl Via Inheritance? | Ask Shaykh YQ - EP 268 | Shaykh Yasir Qadhi

Summary

This video addresses the complex issue of inheriting wealth that may have been acquired through Haram (forbidden) means. The speaker outlines different scholarly opinions, emphasizing that it's not the inheritor's obligation to investigate the origin of the wealth unless it's clearly Haram. The majority view is that if the wealth is known to be Haram, it should be disposed of or given in charity. A middle-ground opinion allows inheritors to keep the wealth if the Haram origin is generic, but they should still purify it through charity. The discussion balances religious caution with practical considerations.

Takeaways

• 📜 Inheritance of wealth does not obligate one to investigate its origin.
• ⚖️ If the inherited wealth is known to have been earned through clearly Haram means, the inheritor must address this issue.
• 📚 Scholars have unanimously agreed that without suspicion, inherited wealth is permissible.
• 🔍 No obligation exists to research the source of inherited wealth unless clear knowledge of its Haram origin exists.
• 🕵️ For ambiguous sources, respect the possibility that the deceased may have followed a legitimate opinion.
• 🍷 Clear-cut Haram sources, such as earnings from a liquor store or bribes, must be treated differently.
• 🛑 If inherited wealth is known to be from clear Haram sources and no repentance was made, it remains Haram for the inheritor.
• 🏛️ Majority opinion: inherited wealth from Haram sources should be given away or returned to rightful owners if known.
• 💸 The third, balanced opinion: differentiate between specific Haram (requiring restitution) and generic Haram (allowing retention with caution).
• 🙏 Inheritors should strive for piety, giving Sadaqah to purify wealth if the origin is suspected to be Haram.

Q & A

What is the main concern of the individual asking the question in the transcript?

The individual is concerned about inheriting wealth from his father, knowing that a portion of it was earned through Haram (forbidden) means, and whether it becomes Halal (permissible) for him after inheritance.

What is the default ruling in Islam regarding inheriting wealth without knowledge of its source?

The default ruling in Islam is that when one inherits money, they do not need to investigate the source of the money. It is assumed to be Halal unless there is a clear reason to believe otherwise.

How does the speaker differentiate between clear-cut Haram and ambiguous (gray area) Haram in the context of inheritance?

The speaker differentiates by stating that clear-cut Haram, such as money from a liquor store, bribes, or embezzlement, is undoubtedly impermissible. In contrast, money from ambiguous sources, where scholars have differing opinions, is not as straightforward and may not necessarily be Haram.

What should a person do if they know that a portion of their inheritance was earned through clear-cut Haram means?

If a person knows that a portion of their inheritance was earned through clear-cut Haram means, they should not take that portion. Instead, they should try to return it to the rightful owner, and if that is not possible, they should give it to charity.

What is the majority opinion among Islamic scholars regarding inheriting Haram wealth?

The majority opinion among Islamic scholars is that inheriting Haram wealth does not make it Halal. If the money was earned through Haram means and this is known, the inheritor should not accept it as part of their inheritance.

What is the minority opinion regarding the inheritance of Haram wealth?

The minority opinion is that the sin of acquiring Haram wealth lies with the deceased, and the inheritance process makes the wealth Halal for the inheritor. However, this view is not widely accepted among scholars.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with money that was earned through ambiguous or disputed means?

The speaker suggests that if the money was earned through ambiguous means (where scholars have differing opinions), the inheritor is not required to reject it. However, it is better to be cautious and give some of it in charity as a precaution.

What does the third opinion mentioned in the transcript suggest about inheriting Haram wealth?

The third opinion, which the speaker finds most reasonable, suggests differentiating between types of Haram wealth. If the wealth was unjustly taken from specific people, it should be returned. If it was generically Haram (e.g., earned through riba or bribery), the inheritor may keep it, though giving some in charity is recommended.

What is the speaker's advice for someone who wants to ensure their inherited wealth is pure?

The speaker advises giving some of the inherited wealth in charity to purify it, especially if there is any doubt about its permissibility. This approach aligns with a cautious and pious stance.

What role does the concept of 'ijma' (consensus of scholars) play in the speaker's argument?

The speaker mentions 'ijma' to support the default position that inheriting wealth does not require investigating its source unless there is a clear reason to believe it was earned through Haram means. The consensus of scholars holds that without suspicion, inherited wealth is assumed to be Halal.

Outlines

00:00

💰 Inheriting Wealth with Haram Origins

The speaker introduces a query from an individual who inherited wealth from a father who engaged in both halal and haram business practices. The son is concerned whether the inherited money, which may contain haram elements, is permissible (halal) for him to use. The speaker explains the Islamic stance on inheriting wealth without needing to investigate its origin, especially if there is no suspicion. Scholars agree that the default ruling is permissibility when there is no evidence of haram involvement.

05:02

⚖️ Differentiating Between Clear-Cut Haram and Gray Areas

The speaker emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between clear-cut haram practices (e.g., operating a liquor store, taking bribes) and those in gray areas, where scholars may differ in opinion. If the haram nature of the wealth is ambiguous or debatable, it is advised not to consider it haram. However, if the wealth is clearly haram, the concern is valid, and further consideration is needed. The speaker suggests that if the father followed a legitimate but minority scholarly opinion, the wealth may still be halal.

10:02

🔍 Three Scholarly Opinions on Inherited Haram Wealth

The speaker outlines three main scholarly opinions on whether inheriting haram wealth becomes halal. The first, a minority view, argues that the sin is on the father, and the son can use the money. The second, the majority opinion, states that haram money remains haram, and the son must not use it. The third, a middle-ground approach, differentiates between wealth that can be traced to specific individuals and generic haram income. The speaker finds the third opinion most reasonable, suggesting that only wealth with identifiable rightful owners must be returned or given in charity.

15:02

🛑 Majority View: Haram Wealth Remains Haram

The majority of scholars believe that inherited haram wealth remains haram, and it is not permissible to use it. If one knows the money's origins are haram, they should return it to its rightful owners or, if unknown, donate it to charity. This view is strongly supported by Islamic legal schools and scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah, who argue that the original haram nature of the wealth doesn't change through inheritance.

20:05

⚖️ Middle-Ground Approach: Differentiating Between Specific and Generic Haram Wealth

The third opinion offers a middle ground, suggesting that only haram wealth directly tied to specific individuals must be returned or given in charity. For generic haram income, where no specific person was wronged, the inheritor is not sinful if they choose to keep it, though giving charity is recommended. This view is seen as a practical and fair approach, balancing piety with the reality that not all haram wealth can be easily traced to its rightful owners.

Keywords

💡Inheritance

Inheritance refers to the process through which wealth or assets are transferred from a deceased person to their heirs. In the video, the question revolves around whether the inherited wealth is permissible (Halal) if it was acquired through Haram means.

💡Halal

Halal means permissible according to Islamic law. The video discusses whether inherited money becomes Halal for the inheritor if it was initially earned through Haram (impermissible) activities.

💡Haram

Haram means forbidden according to Islamic law. The video focuses on whether money earned through Haram means, such as dealing with riba (interest) or selling prohibited products, remains Haram when inherited.

💡Riba

Riba refers to interest or usury, which is prohibited in Islam. The video mentions that the deceased father engaged in businesses involving riba, raising concerns about the permissibility of the inherited wealth.

💡Gray area

Gray area refers to matters that are not clearly defined as Halal or Haram and may have differing scholarly opinions. The video discusses how to approach inherited wealth if the deceased was involved in transactions that fall into this gray area.

💡Ijima

Ijima is the consensus of Islamic scholars on a particular issue. The video cites the unanimous agreement that inheritors are not obligated to investigate the sources of inherited wealth unless there is clear evidence of it being Haram.

💡Repentance

Repentance involves seeking forgiveness from Allah for sins committed. The video notes that if the deceased repented and gave charity to make amends for past Haram earnings, the question of the wealth's permissibility may not arise.

💡Transaction

A transaction is the exchange of goods or services between parties. The video differentiates between regular business transactions, which can make Haram money Halal, and inheritance, which is not a transaction but a transfer of wealth.

💡Sin

Sin refers to an act that goes against Islamic law. The video emphasizes that the sin of earning Haram money lies with the deceased, but the inheritor must consider whether the inherited wealth itself is permissible.

💡Charity (Sadaqah)

Charity, or Sadaqah, is the act of giving to those in need. The video suggests giving the Haram portion of inherited wealth to charity as a way to purify it if the specific rightful owners cannot be identified.

💡Ownership transfer

Ownership transfer is the change of possession from one person to another. The video explores whether the act of inheriting wealth, which involves ownership transfer, can purify Haram money, making it Halal for the inheritor.

Highlights

The default ruling in Islamic inheritance is that one does not need to investigate the source of the inherited wealth.

There is a consensus among Islamic scholars that if there is no suspicion regarding the source of the wealth, it is permissible to accept it.

If the deceased's wealth is known to have been acquired through clear-cut Haram means, the inheritor must consider whether the money remains Haram.

The difference between gray area transactions and unequivocally Haram transactions is critical; inheritors should distinguish between them.

If the Haram wealth was acquired through universally agreed-upon Haram activities (e.g., selling alcohol, taking bribes, embezzlement), the question of whether the inheritance is Halal becomes valid.

Repentance by the deceased for Haram earnings can change the ruling on the inheritance, making the money Halal for the inheritor.

There are three main opinions among scholars regarding the inheritance of Haram wealth: the minority view that inheritance makes the money Halal, the majority view that Haram wealth remains Haram, and a middle opinion that differentiates between types of Haram wealth.

The minority opinion holds that inherited wealth becomes Halal regardless of its source, based on the idea that the sin does not transfer with the money.

The majority opinion asserts that Haram wealth does not become Halal through inheritance, and the inheritor must return or dispose of the Haram portion.

The middle opinion suggests that if the Haram wealth has specific owners, it must be returned; if it is generically Haram with no clear claimants, the inheritor may keep it, though it is better to give it away as charity.

The concept of sanctity (Hurmah) in wealth means that certain types of Haram wealth are too severe to be inherited and must be returned or given away.

The burden of dealing with Haram wealth is not transferred to the inheritor if the original owner repented and corrected the wrongdoing.

The inheritor should estimate the amount of Haram wealth if not precisely known and give that portion away in charity.

In cases where the source of the wealth is a gray area, it is advised not to question the inheritance, as different scholars may hold varying opinions on the matter.

The final decision should be based on the inheritor's conscience, aiming for what is most cautious and pious in their particular situation.

Transcripts

a brother who has asked his name to be

withheld from California emails that he

has inherited a certain amount of wealth

from his father who recently passed away

now his father was a businessman who had

many businesses and uh the man says this

person says that I know that not all of

his businesses were Halal especially in

his earlier years he would deal with

riba and he sold Haram products meaning

the father would have Haram businesses

and the son says there is no doubt that

a portion of the wealth that he earned

is Haram however now that my father has

passed away and this money is coming to

me does that make the money Halal for me

that is the question we're going to deal

with in the first part of our uh session

today

one

uh foreign

when it transfers the ownership from a

deceased person to the inheritors first

let us Begin by saying the default the

default is that when one inherits money

that one does not have to ask about

where this money came from one does not

have to go back to the tax receipts and

to go back 10 20 30 40 years you do not

have to do any research if a deceased

relative has left you money it's not

your obligation to find out so for

example if you find out your uncle has

passed away and you are the inheritor

you did it or or he left you know a

deceased relative left for you one third

of his wealth which is of course

completely Islam it's not your

obligation to find out what was his

occupation where did he earn every

single penny from on the contrary the

default is that when there is no

suspicion you don't raise any suspicion

and in fact this is the unanimous

consensus of all the scholars of Islam

Imam and Noah we the famous scholar of

the shafri school remarks

excuse me in his much more volume 9 page

428

that's

whoever inherits money

and he doesn't know where this person

obtained the money from was it from

Haram was it from Halal and there's no

suspicion it's just that you don't know

then he said it is permissible by ijima

of the scholars okay so first point here

it's not your job to go research second

point in this case you are saying it's

my father and I know he was involved in

Haram so we get now to the second point

what do you mean my dear brother by

Haram

do you mean that which is unanimously

agreed upon to be Haram

or do you mean that which had a gray

area and which some Scholars said oh we

shouldn't do this transaction and others

said no it is permissible in my humble

opinion if the matter was gray area I.E

where you have two different opinions

and a group of respectable reputable

said this transaction is Haram and

another group of reputable mainstream

ulama said that no this is actually a

Halal transaction then it is not your

job to uh choose one position for your

father over another and you should have

a good opinion of your father that maybe

your father did research and he followed

an opinion that maybe you don't think is

the the stronger one but it is still

within the acceptable framework of Islam

so for example and and here my point is

that when you say your father did Haram

right again I'm just pushing a little

bit back and saying are you sure that it

was clear-cut Haram or was it an

ambiguous area that makes you

uncomfortable but perhaps for your

father you know he asked the verdict and

he was completely permissible for this

so my second Point Let's distinguish

between that which is without a doubt

Haram for example a person owns a liquor

store there is no question question that

is held up and the money that it is

acquires is Haram and the money is

cursed or for example a person takes

bribes or for example a person embezzled

funds working for a corporation or a

bank or for example a person outright

stole literally stole something from

another person right there is no

question this is unambiguous there are

no two opinions clear-cut Haram in this

case yes your question is valid and it's

to his point that my father did Haram I

know he did Haram now that he's passed

away I'm inheriting the money is it

Halal for me that's a legitimate

question or

did your father enact transactions that

are ambiguous gray some people said

Halal others said hello for example

mortgage loan a lot of people say oh my

father had a mortgage

and I don't think mortgages are Halal

but he had a mortgage and now I inherit

the house and we say to this brother

subhanallah you know your father

inshallah followed a mainstream and I

have a longer lecture about mortgages

don't make the issue that which is great

to be like the issue which is clear-cut

right or another example again I have a

very clear opinion about life insurance

I do not think it is permissible

personally I do not think it is

permissible I have a longer queue and

now you can find it online on this very

Channel you can find my explanation of

life insurance nonetheless whether I

like it or not I cannot deny that a

group of reputable mainstream ulama have

their reasonings and logic and they have

opined that uh given the world we live

in life insurance is permissible I

strongly disagree I strongly I don't

have life insurance and I anybody comes

to me I say we should not get life

insurance but now you say to me that oh

my father had life insurance right and I

think it is hard on but he had it that

his opinion you know what whatever it

was am I allowed to take it and I and I

say here well we cannot equate a gray

area area where there are two opinions

with that which is clear-cut and in my

humble opinion you should not be asking

about a gray area and you know I mean

obviously if you want to be and you

mashallah very very cautious and

following taqwa to the maximum no doubt

if you want to give it no problem or

wait till but I would say if your father

followed a 50 position that you disagree

with well that should not make it any

issue for you and insha Allah of your

father that he followed a position about

mortgages about something that you know

uh uh might be a minority for you but

still it should be within the mainstream

and therefore it is not even a question

of Haram and Halal it's a question of

your father following a meth Hub or a

position other than your own and so it

would not become impermissible for you

in the slightest Allah knows best now

let us return to the fact that what if

it was clear-cut on so there must be two

conditions in order for you to ask this

question the first condition you know

for certain that your father or whoever

you're inheriting the money from

acquired Haram money again it is not

your obligation to do research and were

you to do research for no reason

honestly this is a type of sin because

you're going Beyond and you're going to

a level of what is called you're doing

above and beyond what the law requires

and it is uh actually uh detrimental to

your Iman and taqwa to go to this level

we don't ask

when we don't go beyond what we should

ask about however in this case it's your

father so obviously you grew up with him

you know where his money is coming from

and perhaps you had some back and forth

and you're and you're getting angry

inshallah I hope if you if it was

clear-cut on I hope that in Charlotte

once you are a full-grown man that you

have have conversations with your father

for example why did you I'm just giving

an example why did you own a liquor shop

you should not own one get rid of this

repent to Allah now obviously again if

your father repented in his lifetime

gave up that Haram business and gave

charity to make up for that then once

again this question does not arise okay

so a past sin and a past acquisition of

harammani that your father repented from

and did not have a continuous income

from and inshallah gave you know

repentance between him and Allah and

gave that charity what not once again

it's not your business that once upon a

time your father earned Haram don't

worry about it so clear-cut Haram

and you know this for a fact without you

you know doing any type of of research

on this and that this money is still in

his possession again we're not talking

about a repentance with all of these

conditions now your question is

legitimate I hope you understand if any

of these other conditions are not met

you did not know it was Haram you're

just you're going above and beyond or

it's a gray area or it was a past sin

that he repented from then this question

should be null and void and you should

not ask it and the money is halal let us

go now to what if all of these

conditions are met and so you know for a

fact that it is Haram it is clear-cut

Haram unambiguous for example uh stolen

money for example embezzlement for

example fraud and no repentance was done

and that is still a part of the

inheritance right that is still a part

of you know what is owned by your father

now to answer this question we get to

this is the the precursor now we get to

answering your question so

is it permissible to obtain Haram wealth

via inheritance or we can rephrase the

question does the transaction of

inheritance make that which was Haram

into Halal okay in order to answer this

question I'll summarize for you the

three main opinions about this uh the

first opinion minority opinion is that

uh and this is a very minority opinion

really and that is that the money is

completely had

and whatever sins your father or anybody

else has done is upon your father and

you are absolutely you know scot-free to

take this money in his entirety

now this opinion was held by a number of

early Scholars

such as

and from the madiki scholars the famous

uh compiler of the Maliki and the one

who extrapolated so many fatal and

whatnot and uh there and others as well

and their main evidence was that the sin

of the person is on the one who the the

ozone The Sinner and the sin does not

transfer to anybody else and as Allah

says in the Quran

that no person shall bear the sins of

another so the fact that your father

committed a sin and earned Haram money

should not have any impact on you and

also the fact that generally speaking

exchanging something between owners

exchanging the ownership of something

transferring the ownership of something

nullifies the previous claims on that

item meaning give you a simple example

suppose a a person who owns a liquor

store suppose a a drug King you know

somebody who's a mafia and you know his

Mafia you know he's involved in the drug

industry and you are masha'allah a clean

pure Halal grocer you sell vegetables

you sell apples and oranges and bananas

and potatoes right and this drug Mafia

comes in and you know this guy's a

criminal and he hands you ten dollars

and he wants to buy bananas is this

transaction halad pretty much by

unanimous consensus because he's buying

bananas from you and you don't have to

ask this person where did he get his

money from if we were to start going to

this level then the whole world would go

you know we would not be able to have

any transaction so the fact that when a

person whom you know to have Haram money

you know uh uh has a business

transaction with you that is halal it's

not your business to find out where did

that person's money come from or else

obviously and even if you know it to be

you know that this person is a criminal

and he has what not now if you were to

be safe and say I don't want to do

business and you know that's up to you

but to say that it is Haram really

hardly any scholar said that so

the scholars who said that because a

transfer of ownership makes the Haram

basically into Halal so for example the

person uh you know uh uh as I said has

had our money but he engages in a

business transaction with you that is

halal that's not your business your

transaction is halal with him so they

said by analogy so too via inheritance

so too just like if they did a business

transaction that money would become

permissible so too the person has died

so the person did the sin therefore the

transfer of inheritance will make the

originally Haram money it will make it

Halal for you now this is a minority

opinion the vast majority of Scholars

push back at this and they said no

actually we cannot make these claims

simply because as for Point number one

nobody's talking about Sin there's no

question the son is not guilty for the

sins of the father but we're talking

about you know for a fact this money is

Haram can you take it right that's a

separate question altogether in the

question of sin the fact that the father

is a sinner doesn't mean the son is the

sinner but the question now is that is

the son sinful acquiring the sinful

money that's the question here and the

vast majority bulked at this and said we

cannot just make a simple extraction

from the verse as for the issue of

transactions uh transforming ownership

and making the Haram basically into uh

Halal we say

the other scholar said that this is not

like a regular transaction you are not

exchanging any Goods the man is not

buying any groceries from you on the

contrary this is an aqua an acquisition

without any effort this is acquiring the

wealth of somebody else because of their

death you didn't do anything you're not

paying anything in return this is

essentially a free gift to you and you

have a bit of a higher burden now that

is this something permissible for me or

not so they basically said you cannot

make an analogy between you know a a

person walking into your Halal store for

a Halal transaction with his head on

money you cannot make this analogy with

inheritance because you're not giving

anything in return and so they said that

it is an incorrect analogy so this is

the first opinion minority opinion that

says it is halal obviously I already

told you that there are two or three

opinions the second opinion I've already

given you their evidence is they refuted

the first one and they said the second

opinion is that an inheritance does not

transform the Haram money into Halal for

you and that that which was Haram

remains Haram if you know that it is

Haram and this is frankly the default

position of the four schools of Sunni

law the hanifi Malik and hambalis uh it

is the position of

and pretty much uh the the uh the

default the majority the vast majority

one can say uh is that the Haram money

does not become Halal simply because of

the death of the person involved and

therefore

uh you are not allowed to acquire the

portion of the heart of the money that

is

that if you know the inheritance to be

uh Haram and you know those whom it

belongs to then you must return the

money to Those whom it belongs to

otherwise you must give from it and even

abedin uh from the he says the same in

Volume 5 page 247 the exact same thing

that it is Haram to inherit Haram money

regardless of whether you know who the

original owners are or not if you know

the money to be Haram then then it is

Haram for you to inherit and

was asked about

a person uh who left uh money that had

Haram elements in it uh is it Halal for

the children to inherit that money and

uh ebentamia responded

the portion that the man the child knows

that he took from riba so the question

was the man would give riba loans and he

would get extra money back from those

riba loans this is unanimous Haram to

give a loan of riba and take back more

unanimously this is Haram as for

mortgages as explained in the longer q a

there is no unanimous you have a lot of

gray area in this regard to give adeb

alone is not the same as being forced to

take and I've given a longer q a about

that but the point is here ebentamia was

asked a man would give loans and he

would take riba from those loans he'd

give a hundred thousand take back a

hundred and ten thousand Eben tambia

said the amount that the child who

inherits the money knows to be from riba

he must get rid of that loan

and either return it to the one who gave

the loan I the one to whom the loan was

given or if he doesn't know who the

person was he gives he gives it in and

uh

the Grandfather said that the mirath The

Inheritance does not become Halal if the

original money was Haram and this is the

stronger in the correct opinion end

quote so this is basically the standard

and the default position and of course

their evidences are logical their Common

Sense their evidence is basically is

that if the money was not permissible in

the first place and since this is an

inheritance it's not a transaction but

essentially a free transfer of wealth

because of death it doesn't make the

Haram Halal simply because the person

has died it wasn't allowed for him to

acquire in the first place you knew it

wasn't allowed for him to acquire now

that you have access to the exact same

you should either if you know for a fact

how much it is you get rid of it or if

you don't know you guesstimate because

in the end of of the day hardly anybody

has 100 head on wealth if a person is

involved in Haram 10 20 30 50 80 percent

is held on but clearly usually there's

Halal businesses and other things that

he's done so you should make a

guesstimate if you don't know the exact

and you get rid of uh that which is

Haram if you know uh the people whom it

belongs to you return to those people

and if you don't then you give it

because that money is not Halal for you

and you shall be rewarded for your piety

uh because you were Pious and cautious

in this money so this is the majority

opinion and it is the second opinion on

our list

and it is a good opinion and if you wish

to follow it then that is fine uh the

opinion that I find personally the one

that makes the most sense to me is the

third opinion and the third opinion is a

middle opinion between the first and the

second the third opinion is a middle

opinion between the first and the second

one and that is to differentiate between

the types of how long

so any money that had a specific owner

and that you know for a fact that this

money belongs to somebody else and the

person whom you're inheriting from in

this case your father took it unlawfully

and unjustly and that that person is

owed that money that you should and you

must give it back to that person or to

his inheritors or if you cannot contact

him or it's going to cause more issues

you give it in sadaqah on behalf of that

person so uh if there was blatant

stealing if you know this person I your

father blatantly stole a piece of land

or stole an amount of money from a

person who deserved it and acquired it

illegally and you know this for a fact

then there is no question that you

cannot continue to perpetuate this

specific Injustice against a group of

people that are known to you however

if the money was generically Haram

I.E it's not specifically belonging to a

person but generically your father did

things he should not have done uh uh and

uh you know for example in this case

let's give an example of uh uh

embezzlement let's give an example of

rishwa let's give an example of riba for

example right this is generic Haram in

the sense that uh the your father did

not unjustly acquire surreptitiously

steal a a person's specific right rather

it was generic and there are no known

people you can return the money to in

this case the third group of Scholars

says that even though it is better for

you to get rid of that money you are not

sinful if you acquire that money which

was generically taken because there are

no exact people you can give it to so

rather than give it to a group of

strangers your father did the sin the

sin is on your father you do not carry

the sin and since the money doesn't have

specific rightful owners here that's the

key point of the third group the third

group says that well who are you gonna

give it back you're going to give it

back to some strangers or you're going

to give it a sadaqah to some strangers

well I mean your father did the sin

rather than give it to a group of

strangers the sin is on your father and

you are allowed to but it's not

encouraged if you want to be pure you

want to be better and not give it uh uh

you know not take it no doubt that is

better for you but in and of itself uh

it will not transfer the sin of that

Haram money will not transfer to you

because there are no specific claimants

to that particular wealth and this is

the position of a group of Scholars you

will find them really amongst all of the

the medahips some Scholars uh have a

position basically it's modified 2A

which is that uh two basically says all

of the money should be given and 2A says

well if you know specifically who the

money is owed to you should give it

otherwise generically if it's money that

is generic and not specific then um

you're not required to give it back

because there's no person to give it

back to and this is the festival you

find it from Great Scholars like of the

malikis also my own teacher this was the

fatwa that he held and so he says for

example

that is

that the money that is inherited becomes

Halal for the one who inherits even if

the one from whom it is inherited

acquired it from Haram means

goes on and says that

if the person knows that this money is

stolen from fulan or acquired illegally

from a specific person he must return it

to that person however if it was

acquired via a Haram you know mechanism

uh such as for example the person

acquired it from riba right so this is

not stealing from a person but he

acquired it from Haram

for the inheritors and the sin is upon

the person who did it and the deceased

person uh and that and then he goes on

and explains that uh it's not required

for the one who inherits the money uh to

go and find out you know every single

detail about where the money was

acquired from unless we know for a fact

that a particular item or a particular

amount was basically stolen or taken

from specific people in which case the

level of herma what is called the level

of sanctity of that money becomes too

high and it is not allowed to transfer

and in my humble opinion this third

opinion makes the most sense to me and

of course no doubt if you were to follow

the second opinion which is that all

such money is held on that it's safer no

doubt about that and it is better and it

is going to be clear to one's conscience

and more blessed to your wealth but if

one follows the third opinion

um and still I would say give some

sadaqah to purify it for yourself and

realize that you know this is not you

know uh the purest of money but to say

that you are sinful and you didn't do it

I don't see this as also being fair

because there is no individual that can

claim hey that is my money on the

contrary it's generic Haram that the one

who did it will have to answer to Allah

but uh now that you are inheriting you

do not have to answer for that and Allah

azzawaja knows best this is a difficult

scenario situation so between the second

and the third opinion whichever one uh

uh is clear to your conscience that

should be permissible and Allah Knows

Best foreign

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