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Reply 60
I thought student loans didn't have any interest?
Original post by KrazyHusna
I have this issue too. I am starting at Kings College London. I will not sacrifice my religion for this dunya. Imagine if I begin to get a wage, that money would be considered unhalal if my uni degree financed on loans managed to land me the job.

My father is helping me out significantly. But its going to be a tight squeeze as my older brother is at university at the same time. I have no other sources of finance. As a Sister, its also going to be difficult to find a job in London, as I don't want to work anywhere where there is excessive free mixing or anything like that.

All we have is prayers. May Allah give us ease.

Well obviously if you do not want excessive free mixing lol that is going to limit your employability.
Places like Saudi have some first class free unis for Muslims. They might be happier there ?
Original post by WinterApproaches


Hmm. Strange. Perhaps I'm deploying the word 'loan' incorrectly here. I know of instances where family members have received X amount of money, and only had to pay X amount of money back. That is what I was referring to.


Think banks work slightly differently to family members! :smile:


Original post by Lionheartat20
As a non-muslim, I am curious to know what to make of this situation.

A previous poster stated they should make interest-free (government) loans an option for Muslims. At the moment I will borrow £50,000 and pay over £100,000 back. Is it fair for society to offer one group interest-free loans, and for another to have to work years' extra to pay back the interest?

Hope that's not too off-topic, but I didn't know the interest was considered an issue, thanks for highlighting it :smile:


The govt is looking in to a "shariah compliant" student loan. It would most definitely be available to non Muslims. This sorta thing wouldn't be JUST available for Muslims

People are like "Why do THEY get special treatment" when you can go and get an Islamic bank account right now if you want regardless of your faith

Most of Islamic Bank of Britain's customers and BLME's customers aren't Muslim


Original post by CJKay
There is nothing unjust about interest. It is the payment you make for borrowing somebody else's money for a period of time.
It is not religious discrimination if you chose to follow a stupid rule. The world economy does not function because everybody is constantly handing each other temporary money for free.



No, it is not.


FYI

Also you do pay back more than you borrowed with an Islamic loan but Islamic loans confuse me a little. They're packaged slightly differently to regular loans
Original post by Arnamdo
This is not an Islamic country so you should not receive any special treatment. And don't start saying that this is 'unfair to the disabled' because it is not the same thing at all. You made a choice, they did not.

You can either pay the loans, go to university somewhere where you don't have to pay fees, not go to university at all or go to university in a Muslim country where you'll get all the special treatment your heart desires.


See my.post above. Any shariah compliant loan would be available for all

Also this might not be an Islamic country but Britain wants to rival dubai in in Islamic finance because it makes us a **** tonne of money

Original post by Old_Simon
Places like Saudi have some first class free unis for Muslims. They might be happier there ?


Why should they have to go to KSA? I'm.pretty sure that foreign nationals would have to pay as well
Original post by Keale
I'm with you, this is so dumb.

NB. Just go to Scotland where education is free for EU students


Education isn't free in Scotland for EU - only for those who've lived in Scotland for 3 years prior


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Original post by TheWaffle
You can request it but it wouldn't be fair if you received special treatment. Why should you be able to take out an interest free loan for example, while a non muslim could not and would end up paying back a lot more? That is just grossly unfair.
People who are handicapped should be helped to live normal lives. That is just compassion. They don't have a chose in being that way. People who adhere to Islam or any other religion do so of their own choice.
I understand that it must be frustrating if laws make it harder for you to practise your religion to its full degree but this is true for all religions. Also, giving one religion special priviledges, even if done with good intentions, is a dangerous path to go down. Once it becomes the norm, more extremist people can start to demand priviledges that may harm other people. Thus it is best if people are treated equally under the law.


See the above. Like I said you can very much just go and make an Islamic account now at various Islamic banks
You can even make one at Lloyds bank and TSB bank who I believe resell IBB products

You don't have to be a Muslim to use Islamic banking. That'd be discrimination

Muslim banking is pretty much Christian banking as well. What we have now is pretty much "Jewish banking" ie: because we allow usury to occur . Are we pandering to Jews?
If you do not wish to pay interest then you need to work before you go to university and save to pay your fees or use the Open university and work to pay their (lower) fees. Support yourself for 3 years (earn more than the figure Student Finance suggests, possibly 8.5k currently but check) and you'll be deemed to be independent and will then get grants based on your own income. As this is likely to be below the levels for full grants/bursaries you can probably cover your fees with savings, a summer job and perhaps an interest free loan. Or get married and you'll then be deemed to be independent but you won't have the savings to fund fees.

No-one has to go to university, it's a choice. Even then no-one has to go at 18. The government loans money if you wish to take it, you are not compelled to do so. Sensible British students would work for three years then go.

Anyne who thinks muslim banks dont get more money back than they give out is deluded. They don't call it interest and that makes it acceptable to imams, merely showing that they recognise their religion is unworkable. You probably pay out more than with other banks. Any scheme the government introduces will use a similar form of weasel words but will ensure you pay for your education.

Muslims can't expect special treatment for their religious beliefs but the government wont like the prospect of students delaying and hence getting more public funding so they'll come up with something that pretends not to charge interest.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Ozzin
I thought student loans didn't have any interest?


Traditionally interst was set at the rate of inflatin. So there was "interest", but not "real" interest. But with the funding changes a couple of years ago interest is now charged at inflation plus 3% I think (for post 2012 entrants only).

Original post by Arnamdo
This is not an Islamic country so you should not receive any special treatment. And don't start saying that this is 'unfair to the disabled' because it is not the same thing at all. You made a choice, they did not.

You can either pay the loans, go to university somewhere where you don't have to pay fees, not go to university at all or go to university in a Muslim country where you'll get all the special treatment your heart desires.


Erm, hate to break it o you but we live in a liberal country. One where many groups are given certain special legal protections. This includes religions who, yes, do receive "special treatment".

Moreover your point about the disabled falls flat on its face if you consider someone who gets a brain injury as a result of driving wrecklessly and crashing. Ultimately the disability results from a choice they made. Not that I am saying everyone with a RTI related TBI has one as a result of wrecklessly driving, usually it is just an accident, but some do.

But this is irrelevant. Firstly the op is not asking for special treatment as far as I am aware, just asking what he can do. Secondly there is support available.

Original post by parentlurker

Muslims can't expect special treatment for their religious beliefs but the government wont like the prospect of students delaying and hence getting more public funding so they'll come up with something that pretends not to charge interest.


See above. I can provides whole list of Muslims (as well as Christians, Jews, Sikhs...) receiving special treatment as a result of their religion.
Lol. Good luck hahahaha

Posted from TSR Mobile
I have just had a huge clear up of this thread. Please can we keep it on topic and relevant to OP's question, rather than just insulting each other. If this thread can't keep on topic then it will have to be closed.

Thanks!

Neostigmine
Uni Mod
Islamic loans are fixed interest

I.E I borrow 2500; and pay back 3000

Normal ones are variable, with time and such
Reply 72
Original post by KrazyHusna
I have this issue too. I am starting at Kings College London. I will not sacrifice my religion for this dunya. Imagine if I begin to get a wage, that money would be considered unhalal if my uni degree financed on loans managed to land me the job.

My father is helping me out significantly. But its going to be a tight squeeze as my older brother is at university at the same time. I have no other sources of finance. As a Sister, its also going to be difficult to find a job in London, as I don't want to work anywhere where there is excessive free mixing or anything like that.

All we have is prayers. May Allah give us ease.

The job you get from your degree is not considered haram. The issue is with the interest not the degree. For example car insurance is haram. Does that mean that when I'm driving im accumulating sins? No.
Reply 73
Original post by Cameron.M
Education isn't free in Scotland for EU - only for those who've lived in Scotland for 3 years prior


Posted from TSR Mobile



Erm no.

It's free for everyone in EU, regardless of whether they lived in Scotland for three years or not.
Reply 74
Paying interest is not Haram, it is Haram to receive it.

A source explaining in detail.

http://www.exploring-islam.com/paying-interest-for-a-loan-followup-hadith-on-cursing-those-involved.html
Reply 75
Original post by *Stefan*
Erm no.

It's free for everyone in EU, regardless of whether they lived in Scotland for three years or not.



Education up to the end of high school is free for everyone.

If you have lived in Scotland and are a British citizen for an X amount of time (can't remember how long exactly) then up to your first degree is paid for.

If you are not a British citizen and have not lived in Scotland for the required time then you have to pay tuition fees for your first degree just like in England.
Reply 76
Original post by abzzzzy
Education up to the end of high school is free for everyone.

If you have lived in Scotland and are a British citizen for an X amount of time (can't remember how long exactly) then up to your first degree is paid for.

If you are not a British citizen and have not lived in Scotland for the required time then you have to pay tuition fees for your first degree just like in England.


No.

http://www.saas.gov.uk/full_time/ug/eu/eligibility.htm


To meet the general residence conditions, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EU, the EU overseas territories, elsewhere in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of the course (the relevant date). For the majority of students who start their course in the autumn term, the relevant date is 1 August.

You must also be an EU national (non UK) or the family member of such on the relevant date.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by abzzzzy
Education up to the end of high school is free for everyone.

If you have lived in Scotland and are a British citizen for an X amount of time (can't remember how long exactly) then up to your first degree is paid for.

If you are not a British citizen and have not lived in Scotland for the required time then you have to pay tuition fees for your first degree just like in England.


No. Non -UK EEA (or Swiss) students, who meet eligibility criteria, can have their fees paid by SAAS.

But I don't know why people are suggesting the OP goes to Scotland as he presumably is a UK citizen and not resident in Scotland.
You either have the benefits of religion or the benefits of freedom.

it's really hard to have it both ways.
Reply 79
Original post by River85
No. Non -UK EEA (or Swiss) students, who meet eligibility criteria, can have their fees paid by SAAS.

But I don't know why people are suggesting the OP goes to Scotland as he presumably is a UK citizen and not resident in Scotland.


Did you go on a deleting spree? Deleting comments and such? It must be great being a moderator.