Should I Warn People That My Father Takes Their Money for Scams?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
If my father repeatedly borrows money for a scam, am I responsible for warning others to prevent harm, even if it angers him? Must I give him money when he asks, and am I responsible for paying his debts in the future?
Answer
Thank you for your question. Yes, you should warn others about not lending him money, even if it angers him, and you are not responsible for paying his debts.
Scamming
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“Whoever cheats us is not from us.“ [Muslim]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“The deen (religion) is sincere counsel.” We said, “To whom?” He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” [Ibid.]
It is best to advise your father to be Godfearing and stop his scamming. Whether he listens or not, you have fulfilled your obligation and are not responsible for his actions. You should also save others from his evil and advise them not to lend your father money.
It would be better if your father didn’t find out, or you might also tell them anonymously. Follow the criteria regarding enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong, and leave the rest up to Allah Most High. Pray istikhara about how to approach the situation.
Turn to Allah yourself so you don’t follow in the same evil as your father. Pray on time, read and reflect on the Quran daily, and make abundant dhikr and dua. Ask Allah to guide you and those around you. Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
Debts
As long as a person sincerely tries to pay his debts, he will not be punished in the next world. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Whoever borrows money from people, genuinely intending to pay them back, Allah will pay it back for him.” [Bukhari]
He also said,
“No Muslim ever takes a loan while Allah knows that he intends to pay it back save that Allah will pay it back for him in This Life.” [Ibn Hibban]
If your father passes away with debts, they should be paid from his estate. If not possible, you can ask his lenders to forgive them, or you may pay the debt as a charity for your father, for which you will be rewarded. That being said, there is no obligation on you to pay them.
Dua
Please say this supplication daily:
اللَّهُمَ حَبَّبْ إِلَيْنَا الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيِّنْهُ فِي قُلُوبِنَا، وَكَرِّهْ إِلَيْنَا الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الرَّاشِدِينَ
O Allah, make our faith beloved to us and beautify it in our hearts and make hateful to us disbelief, wickedness and disobedience, and make us of those rightly guided. [Quran, 49:7]
Please see more details here:
- What Are the Criteria for Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil?
- Embracing Excellence – Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil
- Is One Being Nosy by Commanding the Good and Forbidding Evil?
- What Happens to the Debt of the Deceased?
- What Happens if Someone Dies With Debt?
- Paying Off Debts of the Deceased
- My Husband Passed Away While Having Unpaid Debts, What Do I Do?
- Can I Pay My Father’s Debt from My Own Money after His Demise?
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied ‘aqida, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
