What is the ruling on placing money with a Jewish merchant?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Returning to the issue of placing money in an interest-based bank, meaning, we have a Jewish man who is a merchant. I have money that I placed with him. What is its ruling?
The Shaykh : Placed what?
Abu Malik: A Jewish merchant, and he is trustworthy. Of course, this condition must be met. So, placing his money with him is either as a trust or for trade.
The questioner : And the time I want it, I will come to you for it.
The Shaykh : The professor here said he placed it as a trust or to trade with it. Excuse me, excuse me, it is one of two things.
The questioner : This is my money; I put it with you, and at the time I want it, I take it from you.
The Shaykh : And you know that he sets it aside and does not deal with it in interest. Do you know or do you not know? It is one of two things. If you know, tell me. Do you know or do you not know?
The questioner : I know that this Jew, by the nature of Jews, they deal in interest.
The Shaykh : He does not answer.
Shuqara: He answered when he said, "I know that by the nature of Jews, they deal in interest."
The Shaykh : Meaning, if he deals with your money, he will deal with it in interest.
The questioner : The possibility exists.
The Shaykh : You have spoiled it for us. Did he say "possibility"? I want to take a loan from him in my way. Does he know or does he not know?
The questioner : I do not know. He may deal with it, and he may not. The possibility exists.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. What are you called, Abu what?
The questioner : Abu al-Fadl.
The Shaykh : Welcome, Abu al-Fadl. A person judges by the apparent and is not obligated to uncover the hearts of people. This Jew whom you assume you are placing your money with, do you know that he deals with this money or does he not deal with it?
The questioner : With my money?
The Shaykh : With this money that you are depositing with him, do you know that he keeps it aside and does not deal with it at all, or do you know the opposite, that he deals with it?
The questioner : I say the possibility exists. I do not know that he deals with it one hundred percent.
The Shaykh : No problem. What is the stronger possibility in your view?
The questioner : He may deal with it.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you.
The questioner : Because he is an interest-taking Jew.
The Shaykh : Let me, Abu al-Fadl. From the word "may," we understood this. You said it is possible. Now, the question is: what is the predominant likelihood in this possibility, that he deals with it or does not deal with it?
The questioner : That he deals with it.
The Shaykh : So, it is not said "he may deal with it," but rather it is predominant in your opinion that he deals with it, okay?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The question, and perhaps the last one, does he deal with it in what is lawful or in what is forbidden?
The questioner : Mixed.
The Shaykh : That is of no use! Okay, mixed. What is the predominant likelihood? Does he use it in what is forbidden or in what is lawful?
The questioner : I cannot prefer one side over the other.
The Shaykh : What is this good opinion of this Jew?
Abu Malik: Because this is a Yemeni Jew.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The Shaykh : Placed what?
Abu Malik: A Jewish merchant, and he is trustworthy. Of course, this condition must be met. So, placing his money with him is either as a trust or for trade.
The questioner : And the time I want it, I will come to you for it.
The Shaykh : The professor here said he placed it as a trust or to trade with it. Excuse me, excuse me, it is one of two things.
The questioner : This is my money; I put it with you, and at the time I want it, I take it from you.
The Shaykh : And you know that he sets it aside and does not deal with it in interest. Do you know or do you not know? It is one of two things. If you know, tell me. Do you know or do you not know?
The questioner : I know that this Jew, by the nature of Jews, they deal in interest.
The Shaykh : He does not answer.
Shuqara: He answered when he said, "I know that by the nature of Jews, they deal in interest."
The Shaykh : Meaning, if he deals with your money, he will deal with it in interest.
The questioner : The possibility exists.
The Shaykh : You have spoiled it for us. Did he say "possibility"? I want to take a loan from him in my way. Does he know or does he not know?
The questioner : I do not know. He may deal with it, and he may not. The possibility exists.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. What are you called, Abu what?
The questioner : Abu al-Fadl.
The Shaykh : Welcome, Abu al-Fadl. A person judges by the apparent and is not obligated to uncover the hearts of people. This Jew whom you assume you are placing your money with, do you know that he deals with this money or does he not deal with it?
The questioner : With my money?
The Shaykh : With this money that you are depositing with him, do you know that he keeps it aside and does not deal with it at all, or do you know the opposite, that he deals with it?
The questioner : I say the possibility exists. I do not know that he deals with it one hundred percent.
The Shaykh : No problem. What is the stronger possibility in your view?
The questioner : He may deal with it.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you.
The questioner : Because he is an interest-taking Jew.
The Shaykh : Let me, Abu al-Fadl. From the word "may," we understood this. You said it is possible. Now, the question is: what is the predominant likelihood in this possibility, that he deals with it or does not deal with it?
The questioner : That he deals with it.
The Shaykh : So, it is not said "he may deal with it," but rather it is predominant in your opinion that he deals with it, okay?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The question, and perhaps the last one, does he deal with it in what is lawful or in what is forbidden?
The questioner : Mixed.
The Shaykh : That is of no use! Okay, mixed. What is the predominant likelihood? Does he use it in what is forbidden or in what is lawful?
The questioner : I cannot prefer one side over the other.
The Shaykh : What is this good opinion of this Jew?
Abu Malik: Because this is a Yemeni Jew.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.