The Fiqh of Working for a Bank

[Mujib]

The Fiqh of Working for a Bank
__________________________________________________
Answered by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam, Darul Iftaa (Leicester, UK)

Q:
>I am currently working for a bank, and I know at a basic level that
>you're not allowed to work in bank due to Interest. This is not an
>Islamic bank.
>
>All that I am doing is checking if the customer has filled in the
>form right and sending a letter back to the customer, letting them
>know what is happening about the bank account. I don't deal with the
>money or the financial aspect of this. Also is it allowed for a
>cleaner or someone concerning the food aspects to work at a bank?
>
>I was wondering what is the Islamic rule or law concerning someone
>working at a bank, and is it right for me to still work for them?.
__________________________________________________

A: In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

As a principle, it should be remembered that, the permissibility or impermissibility of employment in a particular firm or company basically depends on two things:

1) The nature of the job must be lawful (halal), meaning if the work entails something that is prohibited in Shariah, such as posing for nude picture-taking, serving alcohol or recording and calculating interest transactions, etc, then this type of work will be unlawful.

The reason for its prohibition is that, the work itself has been prohibited in Shariah. And due to this, even if the salary was paid from a Halal source, the work will still remain unlawful.

2) The salary or income that one receives must also be from a Halal source. If the work itself is lawful (halal), but the salary is paid from unlawful and impure money, such as stolen or interest money, it will still be unlawful to accept that job.

Keeping the above two points in mind, the ruling with regards to working in a bank depends on exactly what the job consists of.

Employment at a bank that entails direct involvement with interest based transactions, such as the job of a manager, cashier, clerk, etc will be unlawful (haram).

Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) cursed the one who accepted usury, the one who paid it, the witness to it, and the one who recorded it. (Sunan Abu Dawud: Book 22, Number 3327).

In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) invoked curse (la`na) on the receiver of interest, the payer of interest, the scribe and the two witnesses.  And he said: "They are the same" (i.e. in sin, m). (Sahih Muslim)

Thus, the warning of the Messenger of Allah is very severe. The one who is directly involved with interest transactions in any way, shape or form, such as writing or calculating the transaction will earn the curse of Allah Almighty and his beloved Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace).

Therefore, one must avoid accepting a job at a bank, which consists of being involved in interest transactions and dealings. It is unlawful (haram) to help and assist others in their interest-based dealings. One must decide between temporary worldly gains and the curse (la`na) of Allah Almighty and his Messenger (Allah bless him & give him peace).

If a person is already employed at a bank, then he is advised by the scholars not to leave his job immediately, rather he should look for a permissible job elsewhere and when he succeeds in obtaining one, he should leave the employment at the bank.

The important point here is that one must exert all possible ways and means in order to a find an alternative job. If one puts in the effort and is willingly ready to accept comparatively reduced benefits, then there is no reason why a suitable job is not found. (See: Contemporary Fatawa by Shaykh Taqi Usmani, P. 280-281).

However, if the employment at a bank is such that it does not have a direct involvement whatsoever with interest based transactions, such as the job of being a guard, cleaner or cook, etc, then this type of job will be lawful although superior to avoid.

As for the income received on such jobs is concerned, scholars mention that the money stored in a bank is not all interest money, rather the cash stored in the bank (and from which the salary is given), comprises of the depositors depositing their money in various accounts, capital put in by the owners of the bank and also interest money. In fact, the portion of interest money is usually less in comparison to the other two types of income.

Therefore, the salary received from the bank is a mixture of unlawful and lawful wealth of which the majority is lawful. As such, it would be permissible to accept this money as income provided the actual job is lawful. (See: al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya: 5/343).

In conclusion, it will be unlawful to employ one's self in jobs at a bank (or any other place) that have a direct involvement with interest-based transactions. However, if the job has no connection with interest dealings whatsoever, then it would be permitted to take this job, although detested.

And Allah knows best

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
Darul Iftaa, Leicester, UK
//www.daruliftaa.org


Source: Hanafi Fiqh List - //www.sunnipath.com

[maleek]

please stop spreading those threads spreading salafi or wahabbi ideology,

really, can someone be sure that his work is halal nowadays???

i remind that even in arabic banks, there are such things as interest rates etc etc. the whole world economy is based on profit through interest.

anyone going to europe or america or asia - according to your logic - is never able to pick up some work!!!!

[Mujib]

As-Salamu `alaykum

Sidi, this information is not from a Wahhabi site.  The scholars that answer these questions are Sunni, Hanafi or Shafi`i in fiqh.  Most of them belong to a tariqa and have a shaykh (murshid).  

There is plenty of lawful work available; working in a bank is not a must.  Living in the West is no excuse to do away with or change the Shari`a.

Your du`as, please...

Was-Salam