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:

Dear Burhan

Assalamualaikum,

Hope you are fine, may Almighty Allah increase your knowledge and accept your efforts in rendering service in His path, ameen.

Please reply my following questions

*One of my close relative is working in Bank, we use to go to his house, as we know he is getting salary from bank which is interest oriented. If he offers us some eating or drinks can we accept it ? and if we eat that food are this is haram, if we refuse I think it will affect our relations as this is also not good in islam....Please help.

*same another questions asked by one of  my friend, one of his relative was working in Gulf, he made something wrong with his sponsor and he stolen a lot of money from his company, and went back to his hometown, and started a business, now his business running well,  are his all earning is Haram, can we go to his house and eat or drink something ? and same case about Photographer, if a man is doing a Photography business, can we marry with their daughters, and have  eat in his house, please help us in the light of Islam.

Wassalam

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Can one eat with a person who is working in bank?

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 no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth.    We humbly hope,  beg,  and pray the Merciful Lord  accepts our humble and weak efforts,  forgive us our shortcomings,  and save you, us,  and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire.  Ameen.

 

Q-1: One of my close relative is working in Bank, we use to go to his house, as we know he is getting salary from bank which is interest oriented. If he offers us some eating or drinks can we accept it ? and if we eat that food are this is haram, if we refuse I think it will affect our relations as this is also not good in islam....Please help.

The thing that is strictly forbidden in Islam is the actual taking or actual consumption of usury and interest.   The person who works in a bank is guilty of assisting and facilitating a haraam deed, and thus becoming one of the recipients of the curse which the Messenger of Allah (saws) invoked on such people.

 

Hadrat Ali (r.a.) said that he 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.

 

If you did go to your relative’s house and ate and drank what he offered you,  you will not be a partner in his sin;  especially if you think that by meeting and keeping good relations with him you might be able to persuade or convince him to fear Allah and guide him to abstain from the haraam.

 

Q-2: same another questions asked by one of  my friend, one of his relative was working in Gulf, he made something wrong with his sponsor and he stolen a lot of money from his company, and went back to his hometown, and started a business, now his business running well,  are his all earning is Haram, can we go to his house and eat or drink something ?

If the person stole the money from someone, and with that money started a business,  then whatever he earns from that business will be considered haraam!   If one has proper knowledge (not a doubt,  but exact knowledge)  that all the money which was used in starting the business was from the haraam,  then it would be prudent and purer for the believers not to be entertained by such a person.  

 

But if the business was started with some of the stolen money mixed with some halaal money,  then there is absolutely no harm and no sin on the person who eats what the person offers.   What you are offered to eat will be considered from the earnings of the halaal money,  and the sin of the haraam will be on the person alone who stole the money.  

 

Q-3: and same case about Photographer, if a man is doing a Photography business, can we marry with their daughters, and have  eat in his house, please help us in the light of Islam.

The majority of the scholars in Islam are of the opinion that photography is not a haraam business;  what is specifically forbidden is the painting, imaging, or sculpting of an animate being.  There is absolutely no harm and no sin if one is in the photography business,  or one eats and drinks what is offered by a person who earns his ‘rizk’ from the photography trade.  

 

If a woman is a believer or even a Jew or a Christian,  it does not matter what religion her father belongs to,  or what kind of business her father does;  it would be absolutely legal for a believer to seek her hand in marriage in the sight of Shariah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan