Q: Can someone stuck in a riba-based loan give voluntary charity, or do they need to pay off the riba-based loan first, given that is a duty, and thereafter resume with giving voluntary charitable donations?
الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب
A: One who has taken a haram loan or a conventional mortgage should relieve himself therefrom as soon as possible. To this end, it is better that rather than make optional payments to charity or make a gift, one should use such funds to relieve oneself of the loan or mortgage. However, it is not prohibited to make a donation to charity or to make a gift whilst one has taken out such loan or mortgage.