Can I have a mortgage as a Muslim?
It depends on the type of mortgage. A conventional mortgage charges interest (riba), which the majority of scholars say isn't allowed. Islamic home finance, now available in the UK, USA and parts of Europe, is designed to avoid interest. A minority of scholars allow a conventional mortgage for a family home in Western countries when there's no real alternative.
Why interest is the problem
The Quran says: "Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest" (Quran 2:275). The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ "cursed the accepter of interest and its payer, and one who records it, and the two witnesses" (Sahih Muslim 1598).
A regular mortgage is a loan where you pay back more than you borrowed, as interest. That's why most scholars say avoid it.
Islamic home finance
Islamic banks and finance companies use structures that replace interest with trade or partnership:
- Murabaha: the bank buys the home and sells it to you at a fixed higher price, paid in installments.
- Ijara: the bank owns the home and rents it to you, and you gradually buy it.
- Diminishing musharaka: you and the bank co-own the home, and you buy out the bank's share over time.
Prices can be slightly higher than conventional mortgages, and scholars debate how "Islamic" some products really are. Ask for the provider's Sharia board details and compare carefully.
The minority view
A well-known fatwa from the European Council for Fatwa and Research allowed Muslims in Europe to take a conventional mortgage for a primary family home, when renting causes real hardship and no Islamic option is available. Many other scholars disagree. If you follow this view, it's limited to a genuine need, not investment property.
Already have a mortgage?
If you took a mortgage before becoming Muslim, the Quran says that whoever stops "may have what is past" (Quran 2:275). Many scholars advise:
- Look into refinancing with an Islamic provider.
- If that's not possible, pay it off as quickly as you reasonably can.
- Don't take on new interest-based debt.
See also Can I still use my credit card after becoming Muslim?
Other options
Renting longer while saving, buying a smaller home in cash, family loans without interest, or community co-ownership schemes are all ways Muslims in the West avoid riba.
- Conventional mortgages involve riba.
- Most scholars say avoid them.
- Islamic home finance is the main alternative.
- A minority allow a mortgage for a family home in real need.
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