Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



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

Is it permissible for the wife to give the Zakah (obligatory charity) of her money to her poor husband?

Yes, it is permissible for the wife to give from the Zakah of her money to her poor husband. And Allah Knows Best.

Which is better in night prayer: long standing (Qiyam) or long prostration (Sujood)?

Long standing (Qiyam) is better in prayer. However, a Muslim should also observe tranquility and composure in their prayer.

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is my husband entitled to take my salary?

Your salary is yours, and you may give some of it to him as a kind of free-will contribution.