Question:
I have a question. Can we apply for crowdfunding, or can we raise fund through such platforms once end up in financial hardship? Is it allowed in Islam to request help from a human being rather than Allah? Is it not contrary to the wisdom of Surah Fatiha: Iyyaka Nabudu va iyyaka nastain? Also, is it allowed to get a mortgage with interest and a standard loan with interest? Are these all riba?
Answer:
May Allah grant you ease, clarity, and barakah.
In Islam, seeking assistance from other human beings in times of hardship is permissible, and this does not contradict the spirit of reliance upon Allah expressed in the verse iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn. The essence of tawakkul is that a person’s heart depends upon Allah alone, while they still make use of the lawful worldly means that Allah has placed at their disposal. The Prophet ﷺ taught complete trust in Allah, yet instructed us to “tie the camel,” indicating that taking practical measures never negates spiritual reliance. Thus, if someone is facing genuine financial difficulty, it is entirely permissible for them to seek help from others, whether in the traditional forms of charity, zakāh, and ṣadaqah, or in modern forms such as crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is simply an organised mechanism through which donors can offer assistance; it does not constitute prohibited begging when the individual’s need is real, their appeal honest, and the funds used for their stated purpose.
The Qur’ān and Sunnah repeatedly emphasise the importance of alleviating hardship and supporting those in distress. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever relieves a believer of a burden in this world, Allah will relieve one of their burdens on the Day of Judgement. Seeking help, therefore, is not only permitted but provides an opportunity for others to earn immense reward. The Companions themselves would ask one another for assistance when necessary, and the Prophet ﷺ did not censure them for doing so. What Islam discourages is habitual or unnecessary asking, especially from those who are capable of earning and resolving their situation independently. However, when a person faces a genuine difficulty, turning to their community is part of the normal means that Allah has made available. Asking Allah remains the foremost act, for He alone is the ultimate provider, but He often provides through secondary causes. When one asks others, they are not substituting people for Allah; they are employing the means Allah Himself has created while maintaining reliance upon Him.
As for interest-based loans and mortgages, classical Islamic law is unequivocal that ribā in loan contracts is prohibited. This ruling is rooted directly in revelation and is affirmed unanimously by the four Sunni schools of law. A conventional mortgage, in which one borrows money and repays it with interest, falls under this category of ribā. Personal loans with interest fall under the same prohibition. This is the foundational principle, and it remains the default ruling.
However, contemporary circumstances have compelled jurists to revisit how this principle applies to Muslims living in non-Muslim societies where the financial system is entirely interest-based, where Islamic alternatives may not exist, and where long-term renting may not provide security or stability for a family. Several respected modern scholars have examined the realities in such contexts. They note that Muslims living as minorities have no influence over the structure of the economy and cannot alter the system, yet are required to function within it. They further observe that owning a stable home may be closely connected to family wellbeing, dignity, and long-term security, all of which are recognised objectives of the Sharīʿah.
In light of this, some contemporary scholars have argued that securing a primary residence for one’s family in such conditions may reach the level of a pressing need (ḥājah) which, when widespread and continuous, can be treated with some of the considerations applied to necessity (ḍarūrah). Based on this reasoning, they permit taking an interest-bearing mortgage strictly for purchasing a personal residence when no genuinely Sharīʿah-compliant alternative is realistically available. This allowance is not a relaxation of the prohibition of ribā in principle; ribā remains impermissible. Rather, it is an exceptional ruling tied to unavoidable circumstances. Even those who permit it apply strict limits: it is only for one’s own home; it cannot be for business, investment, profit, buying to rent, or buying for resale; it does not extend to second properties; and it is justified solely by the need to secure shelter and stability for one’s family.
May Allah grant you clarity, strengthen your reliance upon Him, provide for you through lawful means, and place barakah in your sustenance.
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