Question:

Assalamwalikum,

I have read that if you are going to a family member’s house and you know their income is haram, take a gift with the intention of paying for the food you will be eating. I was wondering if the same scenario is applied if the family member’s house was paid using interest. Many people say you have to make sure the food is halal and the income is halal but I’m not sure if that includes the house.
Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

You state that you read that if one is going to a family member’s house whose income is haram, he should present a gift to the host with the intention of paying for the food. This understanding is not correct. Even if the guest presents a gift with the intention of paying for the food, it will not render the food Halal. The gift will not be considered a payment for the food.

The ruling on accepting an invitation or accepting a gift from one whose income is from Haram sources is as follows[1]:

1. If half or more than half of the income is from Haram means, it is impermissible to eat such food or accept such a gift. However, if it is specified that only Halal wealth was used to attain the food and/or the gift, it is permissible to eat such food and accept such a gift.

2. If less than half of the income is from Haram means and more than half is from Halal means, it is permissible to eat such food and accept such a gift.

In any case, it is permissible to enter a house even though it may have been purchased through interest.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

(Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman

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[1]  آكِلُ الرَّبَّا وَكَاسِبُ الْحَرَامِ أَهْدَى إلَيْهِ أَوْ أَضَافَهُ وَغَالِبُ مَالِهِ حَرَامٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ، وَلَا يَأْكُلُ مَا لَمْ يُخْبِرْهُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْمَالَ أَصْلُهُ حَلَالٌ وَرِثَهُ أَوْ اسْتَقْرَضَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ غَالِبُ مَالِهِ حَلَالًا لَا بَأْسَ بِقَبُولِ هَدِيَّتِهِ وَالْأَكْلِ مِنْهَا، كَذَا فِي الْمُلْتَقَطِ. (الفتاوى الهندية، ج 5، ص 343، المكتبه الرشيديه)