Many bank employees, when they ask some scholars about their work in the bank, are told by the scholar that it is obligatory for them to look for another job.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : All right, let us return to the questions. The question says: Many bank employees, when they ask some scholars about their work in the bank, are told by the scholar that it is obligatory for them to look for another job, and he approves of their remaining in their job until they find another lawful job. Is this answer in accordance with the truth?
The Shaykh : What I believe and testify to Allah is that it is a clear, manifest error, and this is evident from the previous statement. We will not elaborate much on this, but a little clarification:
The one who answers with this answer is either with us in what we mentioned earlier, namely that it is not permissible to deal with banks that deal in riba (usury or interest), and that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed all those who cooperate in consuming riba. In the case of the custom of the banks existing today, the largest employee in this bank or that one and the smallest employee are cooperating in evil. If this answerer is with us in this, then there is no doubt that his answer is an error, as I mentioned earlier. But if he holds a different opinion contrary to what was mentioned before, then he is refuted by the verses and hadiths mentioned above.
In my opinion, the solution, or his ordering him to leave the work in the bank, means that he does not see the permissibility of working in this bank, and therefore he orders him to get rid of it. But on the other hand, he orders him to remain in it until he finds another job. And at that point, I understand from the answer that he is with us in the principle but not with us in the branch. Our refutation of him in the branch is that he has departed with this answer from the non-Islamic rule, which says: "the end justifies the means". For if this answerer, as I said earlier, is with us, as indicated by his ordering him to leave, why does he approve of him working in haram (forbidden) and earning haram (forbidden) income?!
This is absolutely inconceivable except in one case, which is dire necessity. That is, this man has no means to sustain himself from the necessities of life if he leaves the work in the bank. And this scenario is closer to imagination than to reality. However, I see that the matter does not compel a Muslim in this present age—despite the much or little deviation of some people—to commit what Allah has forbidden, because he will find someone to support him, whether through charity, a gift, or the like. If the matter turns between a Muslim earning riba (usury or interest) and asking people, and asking people is certainly not recommended by the Shari'ah, but it is also not forbidden if the Muslim is in need of asking. And if the matter turns between two calamities or between two evils, the answer is: the Muslim in this situation should choose the lesser of the two evils. And the lesser of the two evils is not to continue engaging in forbidden work. This is my answer to this question.
The Shaykh : What I believe and testify to Allah is that it is a clear, manifest error, and this is evident from the previous statement. We will not elaborate much on this, but a little clarification:
The one who answers with this answer is either with us in what we mentioned earlier, namely that it is not permissible to deal with banks that deal in riba (usury or interest), and that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed all those who cooperate in consuming riba. In the case of the custom of the banks existing today, the largest employee in this bank or that one and the smallest employee are cooperating in evil. If this answerer is with us in this, then there is no doubt that his answer is an error, as I mentioned earlier. But if he holds a different opinion contrary to what was mentioned before, then he is refuted by the verses and hadiths mentioned above.
In my opinion, the solution, or his ordering him to leave the work in the bank, means that he does not see the permissibility of working in this bank, and therefore he orders him to get rid of it. But on the other hand, he orders him to remain in it until he finds another job. And at that point, I understand from the answer that he is with us in the principle but not with us in the branch. Our refutation of him in the branch is that he has departed with this answer from the non-Islamic rule, which says: "the end justifies the means". For if this answerer, as I said earlier, is with us, as indicated by his ordering him to leave, why does he approve of him working in haram (forbidden) and earning haram (forbidden) income?!
This is absolutely inconceivable except in one case, which is dire necessity. That is, this man has no means to sustain himself from the necessities of life if he leaves the work in the bank. And this scenario is closer to imagination than to reality. However, I see that the matter does not compel a Muslim in this present age—despite the much or little deviation of some people—to commit what Allah has forbidden, because he will find someone to support him, whether through charity, a gift, or the like. If the matter turns between a Muslim earning riba (usury or interest) and asking people, and asking people is certainly not recommended by the Shari'ah, but it is also not forbidden if the Muslim is in need of asking. And if the matter turns between two calamities or between two evils, the answer is: the Muslim in this situation should choose the lesser of the two evils. And the lesser of the two evils is not to continue engaging in forbidden work. This is my answer to this question.