[gardeniyas]

Please do not turn this into a "Are Student Loans Halal or Not" thread discussion.

My sister has a £15,000 student loan debt. She has finished uni in the UK and is now married with kids.
She is unlikely ever to have a well-paying job as she is now a housewife.
But she feels guilty about the debt. She wants to get it off her neck.
But the Student Loans Company say you don't have to pay it back until you're earning a certain amount in salary etc.
I told her not to worry about it then.

But Islamically, is she right to "worry" about it?
Because of this debt she doesn't pay zakat. She is also uncomfortable about going on hajj with this debt on her.

Islamically, should she be busting her gut to get a job to actually pay off this debt?
Or can she die in peace even without having paid a penny of it off due to not having a job?

[Zpxbawtz]

Bismillah
So the debt comes along without any interest, that is wont the interest money increase if the payment is delayed? I dont know how it goes in UK.

[Kragh]

Please do not turn this into a "Are Student Loans Halal or Not" thread discussion.

My sister has a £15,000 student loan debt. She has finished uni in the UK and is now married with kids.
She is unlikely ever to have a well-paying job as she is now a housewife.
But she feels guilty about the debt. She wants to get it off her neck.
But the Student Loans Company say you don't have to pay it back until you're earning a certain amount in salary etc.
I told her not to worry about it then.

But Islamically, is she right to "worry" about it?
Because of this debt she doesn't pay zakat. She is also uncomfortable about going on hajj with this debt on her.

Islamically, should she be busting her gut to get a job to actually pay off this debt?
Or can she die in peace even without having paid a penny of it off due to not having a job?

Debt is always debt and it has to be settled. Also waiting for the job might be tricky, because the 'interest' on the loan will increase.

If one dies with Debt, his/her children has to finish off the debt, Its compulsory.

[Khcyhshq]

Bismillah
So the debt comes along without any interest, that is wont the interest money increase if the payment is delayed? I dont know how it goes in UK.

The loan is what it is - a loan. The interest however, is lower then what it would be if you were to approach a High Street Bank & the student only has to start paying back the money, once they are earning a certain threshold (i.e £15000), after completing their studies.

If no payments whatsoever are made the loan amount will accumulate interest & therefore the amount is always increasing.

@ the OP - At the minimum, I think it may be wise to try & cover just the interest that is being accumulated on the loan, until a more effective plan can be put in place....£25 saved per month, adds to £300 over the year, so knocking a dent in the loan (regardless of how small), is a good start.

[GaxyGroordrep]

Isn't it written off after a certain time-period? Of course, there's the possibility of being taken to Allah before that. . . Also, would it still be considered a debt when the necessity of paying it back is based on how much you earn? I mean, if one is not required to pay it off unless you earn a certain amount, would that be akin to 'forgiving the debt'? Allahu a'lam.

[Zpxbawtz]

Bismillah
I think she should try her best to pay off the loan and that too when it involves interest. Perhaps she can get help from her husband. She can pay the loan with saved money for hajj or anything. Let her make plenty of duas to Allah SWT.

[DexOnenlyCymn]

wrwb.

Is it not possible to put forward this to the bank people and let them know that she's not working and doesn't intend to work in the future, and for that, if its possible for them to waive off the interest portion? I mean, whats the harm in trying? Or am I being too optimistic?

[Amorsesombabs]

Shuldve thought about it before taking it

[Gorlummm]

Student loan debts are written of at death, so it does not need to be settled by family members.

The debt is also written of after something like 30 years or something along those lines.

There's a big problem with zakah and hajj here, hopefully some ulema can reply.

[gardeniyas]

Student loan debts are written of at death, so it does not need to be settled by family members.

The debt is also written of after something like 30 years or something along those lines.

That's what I'm thinking.
It's an 'unusual' type of loan/debt in that the Loan Co. put an unusual condition on the loan, i.e. "you don't have to pay it off if you die, or if you reach X age."

That's why I ask the question. If the Loan Co. are saying that why doesn't a person just go along with that condition (if they are not working) and therefore they will never have to pay it off. Everyone is happy. No haram money is paid.


There's a big problem with zakah and hajj here, hopefully some ulema can reply. How do you mean? Big problem? In what way?


I'm actually very surprised that there are no fatwas about this issue, because the issue affects many, many young muslims. A fatwa along the lines of what you should do IF you do have a Student Loan. Solutions etc.