Can I Accept a Percentage of Received Income as Tip and Gift Through My Account?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I have a friend who uses my bank account to receive Zelle money from his customers to provide them a service of helping them with some of their university classes that are offered fully online. After the payment comes to my account for his service, he helps college students with their online classes. He tells me I can keep 10% of the money they send since he uses my bank account to take the rest of the funds he gets from helping them.
My question is, is it haram to keep the 10% of the money his customer sends to my bank account? I want the best response. I don’t want to earn harmful income.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It is permissible to accept a percentage given to you for using your bank account. It will be considered a gift and tip. However, you should not expect and maybe gently decline. One of the central virtues of Islam is dignified restraint (‘iffa) when being of help and support to someone. One should not have undue expectations of anything in return. Otherwise, one will not be rewarded.
Giving a Gift and Tips
This would come under giving a tip and appreciating the use of your account. Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.”
[Abu Dawud]
Customs Rules Decisively
According to a fiqh maxim, customs are considered in Shari‘a law. This means that if it is customary to give tips for certain services, it is appropriate to follow such customs as long as they are within reasonable limits and do not involve anything clearly wrong or blameworthy, such as an undue expectation.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction, in sha’ Allah.
Related: Gift Archives
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance?
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
