The Ruling on Praying in the Prayer Halls of Interest-Based Banks
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His Eminence the Shaykh: What is the ruling on praying in interest-based banks, given that some of them have prayer halls?The Shaykh: Now, are these banks rented or not?The questioner: Yes.
And some are owned. Whether they are owned or rented, they are not usurped property, so it cannot be said: the prayer in them is invalid. The most that can be said is that they are places where Allah is disobeyed through interest. These wicked places do not become invalid because of the sin committed in them. Therefore, the prayer in them is valid. However, working in the banks is forbidden; because if a person takes a job, he will directly handle writing interest, both taking and giving. If he does not handle it directly, his employment in these banks is still approval of them, without a doubt, for if he were not approving of them, he would not have taken a job with them. For this reason, we advise our brothers not to take jobs in the banks, neither in the capacity of writing nor in the capacity of statistics. The important point is that employment in a bank is forbidden.
A person might say: I have not found any job other than this one.We say: Trust in the promise of Allah.For Allah says: [Al-Talaq:2-3] And Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: [Al-Talaq:4] .
And some are owned. Whether they are owned or rented, they are not usurped property, so it cannot be said: the prayer in them is invalid. The most that can be said is that they are places where Allah is disobeyed through interest. These wicked places do not become invalid because of the sin committed in them. Therefore, the prayer in them is valid. However, working in the banks is forbidden; because if a person takes a job, he will directly handle writing interest, both taking and giving. If he does not handle it directly, his employment in these banks is still approval of them, without a doubt, for if he were not approving of them, he would not have taken a job with them. For this reason, we advise our brothers not to take jobs in the banks, neither in the capacity of writing nor in the capacity of statistics. The important point is that employment in a bank is forbidden.
A person might say: I have not found any job other than this one.We say: Trust in the promise of Allah.For Allah says: