The indian banking industry is based on interest system. please let me know in the light of quraan and hadith whether working in the banking industry is halaal or haraam.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa
Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
i am
working in a nationalised bank in
the
indian banking industry is based on interest system. please let me know in the
light of quraan
and
hadith whether working in the banking industry is halaal or haraam. further, i
am 45 years old and at this point of time it is not possible to switch over to
another job or to select any business field which requires big amount of money.
also i am very much interested to proceed for haj so please let us know whether i can perform
haj by the earnings and savings of my salary.
jazakallah.
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errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
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Answer:
Working in bank and hajj
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your Question: i am
working in a nationalised bank in
If one facilitates any business which deals exclusively in
what has been specifically declared as ‘haraam’ or unlawful by Allah and His
Messenger (saws), like ‘riba’, prostitution, pornography, intoxicants, etc.,
then without an iota of a doubt, one would indeed have a share in the sin
according to one’s level of participation.
Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, it is not that the
system of banking in its essence has been declared haraam in Islam; but what
Allah and His Messenger (saws) have specifically and categorically declared
absolutely forbidden and haraam is the concept of ‘riba’.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah
Baqarah verse 274-276:
But those who devour
‘riba’ become like the one whom Shaitaan has bewitched and maddened by his
touch. They have been condemned to this
condition because they say, “Trade is
just like ‘riba”, whereas Allah
has made trade halaal and ‘riba’ haraam. Henceforth,
if one abstains from taking ‘riba’ after receiving this admonition from
his Lord, no legal action shall be taken
against him regarding the ‘riba’ he had devoured before: his case shall ultimately go to Allah. But if one repeats the same crime even after
this, he shall go to Hell, where he shall abide for ever! Allah deprives ‘riba’ of all blessing and
develops charity, and Allah does not
like an ungrateful, sinful person.
Allah says further in the Holy Quran Chapter 2
Surah Baqarah verse 278:
O Believers!, fear Allah and give up that ‘riba’ which is
still due to you, if you are true
believers. But if you do not do
so, then you are warned of the declaration of war against you
by Allah and His Messenger!
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa verse 161:
That they took
‘riba’, although they were forbidden. And that they devoured men’s
substance wrongfully. We have prepared
for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment (of Hell Fire)!
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith
2829 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib
Ali heard Allah's
Messenger (saws) invoke the curse of Allah on those who took usury, those who
paid it, those who recorded it, and those who refused to give
sadaqah.
There is absolutely no doubt that the conventional banking
system is based on the system of ‘riba’, and even though one might not be
involved himself in consuming ‘riba’, their working in such institutions would
make them an accomplice in promoting and facilitating what has clearly been
declared forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (saws).
One cannot say with absolute conviction that the earning
of every person working in a conventional bank is unlawful or haraam; but
without an iota of a doubt, one would indeed have a share in the sin according
to one’s level of participation. It would definitely be prudent and wise of the
believers to fear Allah and seek to employ their talents and earn their
livelihood from a source which is not doubtful.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.267 Narrated
by An Numan bin Bashir
The Prophet (saws) said "Both the
‘halaal’ (legal) and the ‘haraam’ (illegal) things are obvious, and in between
them are (suspicious) doubtful matters. So whoever forsakes those doubtful
things lest he may commit a sin, will definitely avoid what is clearly illegal;
and whoever indulges in these (suspicious) doubtful things bravely, is likely
to commit what is clearly illegal. Sins are Allah's Hima (i.e. private pasture)
and whoever pastures (his sheep) near it, is likely to get in it at any
moment."
Your Question: also
i am very much interested to proceed for haj so please let us know whether i
can perform haj by the earnings and savings of my salary.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah
Baqarah verse 172:
172 O ye who believe! Consume of the good things that We have provided
for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him ye worship.
Sahih Muslim Hadith 2214 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘O people,
Allah is Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good.’
As much as the performing of the obligatory rites of Hajj
deemed to be amongst the most meritorious deeds in the Sight of Allah Subhanah,
Allah is Good and Pure and He only accepts what is good and pure.
Just as one cannot steal money and give it in charity
expecting rewards from Allah Subhanah; one cannot go to the Sacred pilgrimage
of Hajj financed by the wealth one has earned from unlawful sources….for such a
pilgrimage would have absolutely no merit or weight in the Sight of Allah
Subhanah!
It is absolutely imperative that one fear Allah Subhanah
and obey all His Commands, and not pick and choose between them! It would be absolutely best if one went to
the obligatory pilgrimage of Hajj with one’s lawfully earned wealth, if indeed
they wish to earn the due rewards from their Lord for their striving.
If one is convinced that their earnings from working in a
‘riba’ based institution is absolutely unlawful, then it would be best if such
a person delayed their Hajj until they had lawful provisions to provide for
their Hajj pilgrimage. If one is in
doubt whether or not their earnings from the bank are lawful or unlawful, and
one does perform the Hajj with his doubtfully earned wealth, then their case is
with Allah Subhanah Alone….if He Wills He may accept their service, or if He
Wills He may reject it.
If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and
commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),
one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any
other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be
assured of being led astray.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to
Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
