Is taking out life insurance permissable in islam?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh

The basic reason for the impermissibility of the current methods of insurance is not that insurance is against tawkul (placing ones trust in Allah) or taqdeer (Allah’s will and destiny). Like any other act in this life, every measure of precaution must confirm to the principles of Shari’ah and should not in any manner cross the limits prescribed by Shari’ah.

All conventional insurances; life and others, is protecting oneself against future losses in exchange of the monthly premiums.

It is a well settled principle of Shari’ah that every transaction between two parties in which the payment by one party is certain and mandatory while payment by the other party depends upon a contingency (which may or may not occur) is included in qimar and gharar and is therefore unlawful.

(Ahsanul Fatawa 24/7 H M Saeed); (Jadeed Fiqhi Masa’il 432/1 Naemiyah);(Takreer Tirmizi 98/1 Meman Islamic Publishers);(Contemporary Fatawa 185 Idara Islamiya)

The procedure of buying a commodity on loan or mortgage is also prohibited.

When an individual buys an item on this basis, then on paying back, he has paid more then what was loaned. This is interest which is haram. Any excess payment made over and above the principal amount is riba and thus haram.

(Contemporary Fatawa 232 Idara Islamiya)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Ahmed Mohomed Pandor,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa