A brother of ours has recently become Muslim. During his days of Jaahiliyyah (ignorance – i.e., before he became Muslim), he earned a lot of money by dealing in drugs. He brought this money with him and opened a big bookstore and got married using this money. Recently he has been told that it is not permissible for him to give this money in charity, because Allaah is Good and only accepts that which is good, Our question is, what should he do with this money, and how sound is what he has been told?.


Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

Praise be to Allaah Who has guided him to Islam. We ask
Allaah to make him steadfast and to guide him to that which is good for him
in this world and in the Hereafter. 

Secondly: 

By His grace and mercy, Allaah has caused Islam to destroy
the sins that came before it. When a disbeliever becomes Muslim, Allaah forgives
all that he did when he was a non-Muslim, and he becomes cleansed of sin. 

Muslim (121) narrated
that ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When Allaah put
Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and said: “Give me your right hand so that I may swear
allegiance to you.” He held out his hand and I withdrew my hand. He said,
“What is the matter, O ‘Amr?” I said, “I want to stipulate a condition.” He
said, “What do you want to stipulate?” I said, “That I will be forgiven.” He
said, “Do you not know that Islam destroys that which came before it?” 

“Islam destroys that which came before it” means that it
erases it and wipes it out. Stated by al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked a similar question, about someone who earned money by dealing in drugs
before he became Muslim. He replied: 

We say to this brother whom Allaah has blessed with Islam
after he had earned haraam (unlawful) wealth: be of good cheer, for this wealth is
permissible for him and there is no sin on him in it, whether he keeps it or
gives it in charity, or uses it to get married, because Allaah says in His
Holy Book (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say to those who have
disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven.
But if they return (thereto), then the examples of those (punished) before
them have already preceded (as a warning)”

[al-Anfaal 8:38] 

i.e., all that has passed, in general terms, is forgiven. But
any money that was taken by force from its owner must be returned to him.
But money that was earned by agreements between people, even if it is
haraam, like that which is earned through riba (interest)or by selling drugs, etc. it
is permissible for him when he becomes Muslim because Allaah says, “Say
to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past
will be forgiven”. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said to ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas when he became Muslim: “Do you not
know that Islam destroys that which came before it?” 

Many of the non-Muslims became Muslim after they had killed Muslims, but they were not punished for what they had done. So tell this brother that his wealth is permissible and
there is no sin in it; he may give it in charity and use it to get married.
As for what he has been told about it not being permissible for him to give
it in charity, there is no basis for that. End quote.

 Liqaa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh,
/373-374.