Working in a Bank and an Organization that takes loans on Interest
Riba in Islam
Sir i want to ask a question please help me out i am very upset regarding this issue..Is it HARAM to do Job in a Bank and also in a organization who take loans on interest? Please help me out give me solution.
My name is Asif Mahmood and I did MBA before 2 years ago. I am orphan and my family spent much of their savings on my study and now they need financially support by me.
I tried hard for job but I always unwilling to do bank job in that 2 year I got some opportunities for job in private banks but I denied and for this my family also get angry with me because they don’t believe that banking job is not permissible.
As you are also aware with the conditions of our country specially related to employment it’s very much difficult to survive in the society. But now the situation is that with my family efforts I got job in Government Bank and my family asking me to do that job as they need my financially support for them and I have no other source of income. But I am not satisfied with this job just because of that point which is that banking job is Haram in Islam.
So please Sir give me clear and authenticated views on which bases I can take decision either I should leave that job or should accept it.
~ Asif Mahmood
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Assalamu'alaikum brother Asif,
Before going any further, you should read this Hadith from Sahih Muslim:
It is clear that whoever writes down the transaction or facilitates it is also cursed. So, working for a bank (in which, the only source of income (most of it, if not only) is interest. We hear and we obey, we do not need logic to understand why.
Allah said in Surah al Baqarah, Aayaat 278-279:
Concerning working for organizations that take loans, one may work for them if their primary earning is not interest. For example, a company that manufactures something. It takes loans on interest in order to purchase materials. You can work for them but not be party to the loan transactions. If the company is owned by a Muslim, you could even present them with the evidences for Riba being Haraam. I have heard this from the scholars of the Ahlus Sunnah. And this is what I understood from what Shaikh Waseeullah Abbas told me about working for audit firms. However, there are others who say it is not permissible to work for them.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to work in riba-based organizations even if one is a driver or guard, because taking on work with riba-based organizations implies that one approves of it; the one who denounces a thing cannot work in its favour, and if he works in its favour then he is approving of it, and the one who approves of something haraam will bear some of the burden of sin. But the one who is directly involved in writing down, recording, sending, depositing and so on, is no doubt directly involved in doing something haraam, and it is proven in the hadeeth of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who pays it, the one who writes it down and the two who witness it, and he said: they are all the same (Fataawa Islamiyyah)
If you want a specific advise, you could explain your situation to a qualified Mufti for a fatwa specific to your case. If you can speak Urdu or Arabic, I will in sha Allah share the contact number of Shaikh Waseeullah, who is a Mufti at Masjid al Haraam, Makkah.
You will find anotherjob, in sha Allah. Trust in Allah and believe in al Qadr.
Muhammad Waseem
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Brother Asif, As-salamu alaykum,
I do not disagree with anything that Muhammad Waseem wrote. However, we also have an obligation to care for our parents in their old age. And we have an exception in Islamic law for situations of daroora (dire necessity). Therefore my feeling is that you should take the government bank job for now; but continue to look for a job in a halal field.
Our Islamic laws were designed to help us, not to hurt us. I know that if my own mother were hungry or in need, I would take any kind of job in order to help her.
This is not a fatwa. Only my own thoughts. And Allah knows best.
Wael
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
I am not a scholar but I agree with Wael brother. God wants ease for his servants and not difficulty.In certain situation Allah has permitted certain forbidden things.For instance You can consume pork if you fear of loosing your life because of no availability of other food.
I feel that at the moment brother can take this as temporary job and support his family and keep on looking another halaal job.
God please forgive me if I am giving wrong suggestion.
Allah Hafiz.
I would want to telll.u to calm down and do the gvt job as the situations today are not good allah is just in
His dealings and he has conveyed to his freinds like me to be like dabang and not helpless. And my assurance with u.
Br a h Iqbal
Whether or not you should take up this job, consult a mufti from among the Ahlus Sunnah, who shall give you a fatwa based on your situation. No one can assure you that it is the right choice to take up the job. Allah Is Just, and Riba being Haraam is His Justice. If Allah Tests us, we should be patient and look for Halaal options to come out of the situation, before adopting the final resort of choosing the lesser haraam among the two when there is absolutely no choice.
Muhammad Waseem
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Auz . . Minash shaitaan irrajeem
Bismilla irrahmaan irraheem.
Allah let your servants get the ability to
recognize ur freinds.,
Dear bro Asif , i assure you the compassion of allah in this regard.
dont quit the job.however u must be pondering how to believe a stranger .
But my steady voice is the proof.
I couldn't be a steady voice if Allah wld not back me.
Br Iqbal India.
Brother Iqbal,
I appreciate the trust you have in Allah. But we are human beings who were Created by Allah out of nothing. Subhanallah, our position is that we can not even be compared to dust. We do not have the authority to assure Allah's Compassion to anybody whosoever. We are despicable and extremely poor. We are dependent on Allah for each and everything.
We can say 'In sha Allah, you will find Allah's Compassion' but saying 'I assure you Allah's Compassion' amounts to crossing the bounds with Allah.
Think about it, when Allah's Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam himself said he doesn't know what will be done with him, how can we insignificant beings assure the compassion of The Lord Who Ceated all that exists? So brother, do not say such a thing and make Allah Angry.
Read this Hadith from Sahih al Bukhari:
Narrated Kh ârijah bin Zaid bin Th âbit: Umm Al-`Alâ', an Ansâri woman who gave the Bai`a (pledge) to the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ informed me (saying): The Ansâr drew lots concerning the dwelling of the emigrants. We got in our share ‘U th mân bin Maz`un. ‘U th mân fell ill and I nursed him till he died, and we covered him with his clothes. Then the Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ came to us and I (addressing the dead body) said, ``O Abu As-Sâ'ib, may Allâh's Mercy be on you! I bear witness that Allâh has honoured you.'' On that the Prophet said, ``How do you know that Allâh has honoured him?'' I replied, ``I do not know. May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allâh's Messenger! But who else is worthy of it (if not ‘U th mân)?'' He said, ``As to him, by Allâh, death has overtaken him, and I hope the best for him. By Allâh, though I am the Messenger of Allâh, yet I do not know what Allâh will do to me.' By Allâh, I will never assert the piety of anyone after him. That made me sad, and when I slept I saw in a dream a flowing stream for ‘U th mân bin Maz`un. I went to Allâh's Messenger ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ and told him of the dream. He remarked, ``That symbolises his (good) deeds.''
Muhammad Waseem
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
dear brother salamwalekum i think u should leave the job bcoz allah says that involving in riba is waging awar against allah and his rasools u put some questions to urself what if u died at this moment ? will ur family also dies with u?no my dear brother .it is allah who is going to take care of every one else.satan always shows things going to be worse and makes us to commit mistake.hav faith in allah my dear brother .
Dear Brothers
I have the same problem. I am from Bangladesh doing job in a private Islamic bank, but my bank cant follow the islamic rules properly. Its very hard to get a new job in Bangladesh, moreover I have to take care of my whole family. Cant understand what to do, I beg help from many personas but no one helps me.
Bro Kissor, pls leave this job as soon as possible..bcs it is you who will be judged by allah subhntla..not your family...u will b responsible for ur whole work...if u rely on allah subhntla, allah will guide u right way...to me, right now u can continue ur job with great despise, hate this job from ur heart and desperately search a halal job. also pray to almighty to help u...may allah help us all to get rid of ts Riba.
I left my job in a private bnk for the same reason...