Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 142
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 10 142 even he who lends money on interest will happily lend without interest. 1 Undated Bank Interest The Promised Messiah as received a letter from a person asking about interest. It stated that since in relation to [receiving] interest from banks, the Promised Messiah as has permitted it keeping in mind the current circumstances and the condition of Islam, one should make use of the doctrine of necessity. Thus, since this principle is extendable, can it be made use of to initiate the taking and giving of interest due to necessities of a personal, national, or business character? The Promised Messiah as said: In this way people wish to open the door of consuming the unlawful and the unclean so that they may go about doing whatsoever they wish. I have not allowed that bank interest may be taken and consumed by any individual due to una- voidable need. What I have said is that it is permissible to use interest on bank accounts for the propagation of Islam and fulfilment of other religious needs. And that is only if funds cannot be obtained for religious needs through other means. 1. Badr, vol. 7, no. 5, p. 5–6, dated 6 February 1908