The employee whose salary is insufficient: is it permissible for him to work another job?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : O Shaykh, regarding the employee whose salary does not cover his personal expenses, is it permissible for him to have another job?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for the employee whose salary does not cover his personal affairs to work a job that the government or the regulations do not prohibit.
The questioner : For example, the regulations prohibit a commercial registration.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For establishing a company?
The Shaykh : Yes, if the regulations prohibit it, then it is not permissible for him to open one, neither in his own name nor under a pseudonym. Why? Because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:1] And He the Exalted says: [Al-Isra 17:34].
The employee entered the position knowing that this is a condition for every employee, so his entry into the job constitutes a commitment on his part not to open a commercial registration or engage in trade.
Some people might say: The government has no right to prevent someone from seeking the provision of Allah, because Allah said in the Noble Qur'an: meaning the Friday prayer [Al-Jumu'ah 62:10] So Allah permitted us to disperse in the earth and seek from the bounty of Allah after the Friday prayer. How can the government prevent us from that?
We say to him: The government did not prevent you, but it said: I will not enter into a contract with you except on this condition. And this condition is permissible, meaning that leaving trade is permissible. If it is permissible and a person commits to leaving it to fulfill his promise to the government, then this proceeds according to the principles of the Shari'ah.
So we say to this employee: You are between two matters, or rather three matters:
Either you leave the job and open the commercial registration, or you leave the commercial registration and remain in your job, or you seek permission from the government and explain your need to them. Perhaps if you explain your need to them, and that your salary is small and the requirements of your life are many, they may allow you. Yes, one question.
The questioner : This brother came from Riyadh.
The Shaykh : One question. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The Shaykh : Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : O Shaykh, regarding the employee whose salary does not cover his personal expenses, is it permissible for him to have another job?
The Shaykh : It is permissible for the employee whose salary does not cover his personal affairs to work a job that the government or the regulations do not prohibit.
The questioner : For example, the regulations prohibit a commercial registration.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For establishing a company?
The Shaykh : Yes, if the regulations prohibit it, then it is not permissible for him to open one, neither in his own name nor under a pseudonym. Why? Because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِAnd fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاًThe employee entered the position knowing that this is a condition for every employee, so his entry into the job constitutes a commitment on his part not to open a commercial registration or engage in trade.
Some people might say: The government has no right to prevent someone from seeking the provision of Allah, because Allah said in the Noble Qur'an:
When the prayer has been completed
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلاةُdisperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah
فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِWe say to him: The government did not prevent you, but it said: I will not enter into a contract with you except on this condition. And this condition is permissible, meaning that leaving trade is permissible. If it is permissible and a person commits to leaving it to fulfill his promise to the government, then this proceeds according to the principles of the Shari'ah.
So we say to this employee: You are between two matters, or rather three matters:
Either you leave the job and open the commercial registration, or you leave the commercial registration and remain in your job, or you seek permission from the government and explain your need to them. Perhaps if you explain your need to them, and that your salary is small and the requirements of your life are many, they may allow you. Yes, one question.
The questioner : This brother came from Riyadh.
The Shaykh : One question. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.