Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-Alaikum

I don`t have a question but would like to leave a word of thanks. Recently, I was offered a role on an IT graduate programme by HSBC (bank). I also had another offer for an IT graduate programme by Eon (energy company). I would have gone for the HSBC one because it is a big company and people talk big of it, etc. But I wasn`t sure if it would be completely halal for me to work for HSBC. I looked at many different sources and spoke to the local Imam, as well as other Muslims. I just wanted to thank IslamHelpline because there were so many similar questions here with superb answers that helped me to make the right choice and go for the job with Eon. If I didn`t become aware of so many issues, I may have gone for the wrong choice, thanks for being there - as a source of guidance. Also, I do have a question, who is Burhan? Is this the same person answering all the q`s?

salaam 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Note of thanks

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: I do have a question, who is Burhan? Is this the same person answering all the q`s?
My name is indeed Burhan, and because Allah Subhanah has allowed me some luxury of time and bestowed upon me some fluency in the English language, the moderators of the forum have been kind enough to allow me to formulate all the answers on their forum.

I consider myself indeed extremely fortunate to have been given this opportunity, first and foremost by Allah Subhanah, and last but not the least by the brother moderators of the forum; for Allah is my witness brother, and I feel absolutely no shame in admitting this: neither am I a scholar, nor am I qualified, nor am I at all worthy of this enormous and noble task. It is but the Grace and the Mercy of the Lord Most Gracious, Most Merciful, Who, in spite of all my severe and several shortcomings, has given me this opportunity to do my humble bit in the service of His Cause.

I also wish to clarify here brother that although, being the one who formulates the answers, it is only my name which appears on this humble forum….. there are several sincere scholars, brothers, and sisters who voluntarily and without even as much as a cent of material or worldly reward or recognition spend countless hours of their time in making sure the forum is properly moderated and run smoothly. You will not find the mention of their names on the forum or anywhere else for they insist on remaining anonymous, and none save the All-Knowing Lord Alone Knows how much effort and how many countless hours they spend in moderating the forum, setting up and maintaining the website, receiving and formulating the multitude of questions which are asked on a daily basis, checking and editing each and every answer, and making sure that the answers are accurately circulated to the almost 70,000 subscribers on a regular basis. May Allah Subhanah accept their selfless striving in His Cause, and reward them from His Mercy, His Grace and His Bounty on the Day when nothing but His Mercy Alone can save one from the torment of the Hell Fire!

Beloved brother in Islam, I humbly and sincerely seek your forgiveness for giving you such a lengthy answer to your simple question; but Allah is my witness brother, being the one who does the least bit amongst all the brothers and sisters of this humble forum, it would have been neither fair nor just if I was given any credit for the ‘real’ work done by the brother moderators. I am just extremely honored and humbled that my Lord Most Gracious, in spite of all my severe and several shortcomings, has given and allowed me this opportunity to be a part of this humble forum and to serve in His Cause.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan