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:

Assalamualikum

I will be very grateful if you can answer my question.

A teacher of mine told me that working at a bank is wrong because the income of the bank is from haram money and they pay the employees out of that. He quoted that it is said in quran that taking, giving, recording and witnessing riba transactions is haram. So whoever works in a bank is witnessing riba.

I wanted to ask that if a person is not directly related to the finance department of the bank, for example somone might be a cleaner or securiy guard or a salesperson or in reasearch department, is it haram for them to work in bank too as they are contributing to a haram organization?

Can you please give reference from quran and sunnah.

Thanks and jazakaAllah 

(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:

Working in a bank

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Dear and Beloved Brother in Islam, it is not the system of banking or investment that is declared haraam in Islam; but what Allah and His Messenger (saws) have specifically and categorically declared absolutely forbidden and haraam is the concept of ‘riba’. There is absolutely no doubt that the conventional banking system is based on the system of ‘riba’, and even though one might not be involved himself in consuming ‘riba’, their working in such institutions would make them an accomplice in what has clearly been declared forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 274-276:

But those who devour ‘riba’ become like the one whom Shaitaan has bewitched and maddened by his touch. They have been condemned to this condition because they say, “Trade is just like ‘riba”, whereas Allah has made trade halaal and ‘riba’ haraam. Henceforth, if one abstains from taking ‘riba’ after receiving this admonition from his Lord, no legal action shall be taken against him regarding the ‘riba’ he had devoured before: his case shall ultimately go to Allah. But if one repeats the same crime even after this, he shall go to Hell, where he shall abide for ever! Allah deprives ‘riba’ of all blessing and develops charity, and Allah does not like an ungrateful, sinful person.

Allah says further in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 278:

O Believers!, fear Allah and give up that ‘riba’ which is still due to you, if you are true believers. But if you do not do so, then you are warned of the declaration of war against you by Allah and His Messenger!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa verse 161:

That they took ‘riba’, although they were forbidden. And that they devoured men’s substance wrongfully. We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment (of Hell Fire)!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2829 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Ali heard Allah's Messenger (saws) invoke the curse of Allah on those who took usury, those who paid it, those who recorded it, and those who refused to give sadaqah.

When Allah and His Messenger (saws) have declared something forbidden, then to derive any income from such an establishment would also be forbidden. Thus, if one is seeking employment, he should fear Allah, abstain from seeking work in a conventional bank whose primary business is in the dealing of interest. But if one is already working in a conventional bank, it would be prudent for him to seek repentance of Allah, and search immediately for another place to employ his talents; and when he finds an appropriate job, resign from the present interest-based bank job. And if one does this move purely for the sake of Allah Subhanah, it is expected that the Bounteous Lord will enrich him from His Infinite resources and give him a huge reward for his efforts to obey the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws).

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