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Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(174): "Ruling on Salaries Obtained from Working for a non-Islamic Bank"

Date Added : 27-10-2015

Resolution  No.(174) (6/2012) by The Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on Salaries Obtained from Working for a non-Islamic Bank"

Date: (14/7/1433 A.H); (4/6/2012 A.D)

 

All perfect praise be to Allah. Blessings and peace be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon his family and companions.

On the above date, the Board reviewed the following question:

A person had spent (28) years working for a usurious bank, then he repented to Almighty Allah. What should he do with the severance pay, the pension, the savings obtained from his work, and the assets that he had bought like the house; taking into consideration that he has no other source of income. Another person has spent three years working for the same bank, so what should he do-in case he wanted to repent-with his share from the social security and the Savings Fund, his savings from his salary, the assets that he had bought such as his car ?

After careful study and deliberation, the Board determined what follows:

The ruling on working for usurious banks is bound by the nature of the work itself, so if the employee`s job doesn`t involve  usurious interests, and assisting in that, then his work is permissible and there is no harm in doing it. Therefore, there is no harm in taking the severance pay and his salaries from the social security.

However, if his work involved usurious interests, and assisting in that, then his work isn`t permissible since Almighty Allah Says in the Noble Quran: “Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah. for Allah is strict in punishment.” {Al-Mai`da/2}. In Sahih Muslim (1598), Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) cursed the one who accepts Ar-Riba (the usury), the one who pays it, the one who records it, and the two persons who stand witness to it.He said: all of them are equally sinful.”

Therefore, the salaries and the nonwage awards that he had obtained out of that job are ill-gotten money which he isn`t permitted to take, rather, he should seek repentance from Allah, show remorse, ask for forgiveness, and show determination not make use of that money. As regards the rest of the money, he should give it to charity.

However, there is no harm in keeping the assets that he needs for himself and for his family such as the house and the car. He can also keep the money that he needs to support his family since Al-Imam Al-Ghazali (May Allah bless his soul )said: “He may give this money as a charity to himself and to his family in case they were poor, rather, they are more entitled to it than anyone else. He may also take as much as he needs because he is poor as well.” {Ihya`a Oloum Ad-deen}.

As regards the salaries obtained from the social security, there is no harm in taking them since the Board of Iftaa` had issued resolution No.(133) which permits subscribing to the social security based on the fact that “The Social Security Fund is  part of the public treasury.”

If the money that he paid as a donation to that Fund was ill-gotten, it doesn`t render the pension that the Fund pays him (the subscriber) illegitimate since the social security contract isn`t a compensation contract so that it could be said that ill-gotten money is compensated with ill-gotten money, rather, it is a bare contract intended to achieve solidarity. It is incumbent on the person who subscribed in the Fund with ill-gotten money to repent from making such money, and so there is no harm in benefitting from the pension deducted for him after that; particularly in case he was ignorant that his work in the bank was unlawful. And Allah Knows Best.

 

 

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, The Grand Mufti of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Grace Sheikh Abdulkareem Al-Khasawneh.

Vice-Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Prof. Ahmad Helayel

Prof. Abduln`nassir Abu Al Bass`al/ Member

His Eminence, Sheikh Sa`ied Hijjawi/ Member

Pro. Mohammad Al-Qhodat/ Member

     Dr. Wasif Al-Bakhri

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member

Dr. Mohammad Khair Al-Essa/ Member

Dr.Mohammad Al-Zou`bi/ Member

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling on discharging one's zakāh obligation through the provision of a specific benefit (manfa‘ah) — such as performing a surgical operation for a patient, or providing housing to a tenant, and counting the value of this service as zakāh?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It is obligatory to pay zakāh from the actual asset (‘ayn al-māl) upon which zakāh is due, except in the case of zakāh on trade goods ('urūḍ at-tijārah), which is paid based on their monetary value. In all cases, zakāh must be given in the form of tamlīk (a full transfer of ownership), based on the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic (which mean): "Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy, and for those employed to collect [zakāh], and for bringing hearts together [for Islam], and for freeing captives [or slaves], and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler — an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise" [at-Tawbah/60]. The letter "lām" (لِ) in this verse — as in "lil-fuqarā'" ("for the poor") — indicates possession/ownership (lām al-milk).
It is not permissible to fulfill one's zakāh obligation by providing a benefit or service (manfa‘ah) — such as housing, education, or medical treatment — in place of the zakāh itself. This is because zakāh must be paid as wealth (māl) that is transferred into the ownership of the poor recipient, whereas such services are intangible benefits that are not, in themselves, capable of being formally transferred in ownership (ghayr qābilah lit-tamlīk). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

A pious man proposed to me and my father was hesitant in this regard because he is black, am I sinful if I accepted his proposal?

If the suitor is pious, color isn`t a drawback. However, try talking to your father kindly, so that he approves of your marriage with contentment, and that is better for you.

Is it permissible to eat from an Udhiyah slaughtered on behalf of a deceased person?

Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon our Master the Messenger of Allah.
 
It is permissible to eat from the sacrifice (uḍḥiyyah) that is offered on behalf of a deceased person. This is the madhhab (school of thought) of the Hanbalis. In this case, the heirs take the place of the deceased as if he were alive, with the same rights to eat from it, give it in charity, and offer it as a gift.
 
It is stated in Maṭālib Uli al-Nuhā (Vol.2/P.472): "Offering a sacrifice on behalf of a deceased person is better than offering one on behalf of a living person, because the deceased is unable (to perform deeds) and is in need of reward. It is to be treated like a sacrifice on behalf of a living person in terms of eating, giving charity, and giving gifts." And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on entering the toilet with something containing the remembrance of Allah?

It is disliked to bring into the toilet anything containing a reminder of Allah, such as the Quran or a sacred name (like the name of Allah, Muhammad, etc.). If one does that, etiquette dictates that he conceal it so it is not visible while entering the toilet, either by cupping his hands over it, putting it in his pocket, or inside his shirt if it is a necklace or ring. And Allah  the Almighty knows best.

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