What is the ruling on praying in the prayer halls of interest-based banks?
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The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah forgive you, what is the ruling on praying in interest-based banks?
The Shaykh : In what?
The questioner : In interest-based banks.
The Shaykh : Praying in the banks.
The questioner : Some banks have prayer halls, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Okay, are some of these banks rented or not?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : And some are owned. Whether they are owned or rented, they are not usurped property, so it cannot be said that the prayer in them is invalid. The most that can be said is that they are places where Allah is disobeyed through usury or interest. These wicked places do not become invalid because of the sin committed in them. Therefore, the prayer in them is valid.
But working in the banks is what is forbidden. If a person takes a job there, he will directly handle the writing of usury or interest, both taking and giving. If he does not handle it directly, his employment in these banks is still approval of them without 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 work in the banks, neither in the capacity of writing nor in the capacity of statistics. The important point is that a job in a bank is forbidden. A person might say: "I could not find any job other than this one." We say: Trust in the promise of Allah, for Allah says:[At-Talaq 65:2-3] And the Mighty and Majestic says: [At-Talaq 65:4] Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : In what?
The questioner : In interest-based banks.
The Shaykh : Praying in the banks.
The questioner : Some banks have prayer halls, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Okay, are some of these banks rented or not?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : And some are owned. Whether they are owned or rented, they are not usurped property, so it cannot be said that the prayer in them is invalid. The most that can be said is that they are places where Allah is disobeyed through usury or interest. These wicked places do not become invalid because of the sin committed in them. Therefore, the prayer in them is valid.
But working in the banks is what is forbidden. If a person takes a job there, he will directly handle the writing of usury or interest, both taking and giving. If he does not handle it directly, his employment in these banks is still approval of them without 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 work in the banks, neither in the capacity of writing nor in the capacity of statistics. The important point is that a job in a bank is forbidden. A person might say: "I could not find any job other than this one." We say: Trust in the promise of Allah, for Allah says: