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Company Shares

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Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question: My company has offered me the option to buy company shares. The share price is substantial, so they offer a loan but it is not interest-free. The company will pay the interest portion, and I will have to pay the principal amount of the loan. Is this transaction legal in our deen?

Answer: wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

This transaction is impermissible. It’s better that you get an interest-free loan from another source if you wish to make this investment.

Being Far from Allah’s Mercy

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, cursed the one who takes interest, the one who gives it, the one who documents the transaction, and the one who is a witness to that transaction; he said, “They are all equal [in sin].” (Muslim) This is a serious matter.

A curse (la’na) is a plea to Allah to distance someone from His mercy. Imagine a time when you are desperately in need of Allah’s mercy, whether in this life or the next, and it doesn’t show? How dire would that situation be?

Find an alternative, pray the istikhara prayer, and pursue it in a halal manner if you feel it is for your ultimate benefit. Otherwise, run a mile, lest Allah’s mercy is even further away from you at your hour of need.

May Allay grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with erudite scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish, and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic with teachers such as Dr. Ashraf Muneeb, Dr. Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr. Mansur Abu Zina, and others. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabir and Shaykh Yahya Qandil. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.

Can I Work at a Supermarket That Sells Pork and Alcohol?

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Asalamu alaikum,
I live in a small village where it is hard to find work apart from supermarkets which are relatively easy but they serve alcohol and pork etc.

Is it permissible to work in such a place?
I am new to Islam and I am lost in the sea of divergence of opinions found regarding religious matters in Islam.
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
It is permitted for you to work on the checkout at a shop which sells the impermissible. [see: Can I Work at a Supermarket Checkout That Sells Pork and Alcohol?]
Pray the Prayer of Need (salat al-hajah), and ask Allah to send you work which you’d rather do. [see: How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (salat al-haja)?]
I’d consider taking: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Beliefs & Worship (STEP) and: Excellence in Faith & Action (from Ghazali’s 40 Foundations of Religion)
Please also see: ANSWERS TAGGED ‘ASSISTING IN SIN’
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Working at a Massage Salon?

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Assalamu Alaykum,

Is it allowed for me to work on the check out where the customers pay for treatments where women get massaged from men and vice versa?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
Yes, your job is permitted as there is no assistance in sin in your work.
However, it is undignified for a Muslim to work in such a place. Ask Allah to give you something better for His sake, and that He make it a means of fulfilling a communal obligation (fard kifaya).
There are personal and communal obligations. The latter tend to have a greater reward as their non-fulfilment has a direct impact on an entire community by each member incurring some level of sin. Most professions fall under the umbrella of communal obligations. Performing such an obligation is a means of serving society at large, and a with a sincere intention for the sake of Allah, a huge opportunity of worship.
And pray the Prayer of Need (salat al-hajah). [see: How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (salat al-haja)?]
Please also see: A Beautician With Non-Hijab Clients: Am I Accountable When They Go Out Uncovered? and: The Muslim Standard of Excellence in Work and Life
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Types of Clothing Permissible to Sell to Women and Guidelines to Sell them Online

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Assalam Alaikum
I am going to start an Online Store through which I plan to sell clothing.
1-Keeping in mind the nature of clothing for women these days which can be from Simple Shalwar Kameez to Jeans and T-shirts, is it allowed for a muslim to sell such clothing?
2-When displaying clothing on a website it is normally shown through a pic of some model wearing it. Is this allowed?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
[1] Yes, it is permitted to sell clothing that has a permissible primary use. However, it would be superior to sell dignified and modest clothing.
[2] Please see: Selling Women’s Clothing and Using Women as Models
See also: Can Men Sell Women’s Silk Clothing or Silk Upholstery
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Accepting Wealth from a Person Whose Wealth is Predominantly Unlawful

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Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: What are the different types of haram incomes? What kind of money would be deemed haram? And is it okay to accept a gift/money that came from a haram source if you have an intention of donating it?
Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
No, you cannot accept wealth from a person whose wealth is predominantly unlawful.
The basis in transactions is the word of Allah Most High, “You who believe, do not wrongfully consume each other’s wealth but trade by mutual consent.” [4.29]
The Ottoman Qur’anic exegete Abu al-Su`ud Effendi clarified that “wrongfully” means anything that is contrary to the Sacred Law, whether that is by way of stealing, misappropriating, deceiving, gambling, engaging in usurious dealings, or anything else the Sacred Law prohibited.
Have a good opinion of people, don’t investigate, and act on the basis of the apparent. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “From a person’s Islam being good is his leaving what does not concern him.” [Tirmidhi]
Please see: Can I Borrow Money From Someone Whose Income Comes From an Unlawful Source? and: What is the Ruling on Receiving Things From Others That Were Acquired With Unlawful Money? and: Surfing the Internet and Checking Personal Emails at Work
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Selling Women’s Clothing and Using Women as Models

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Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I am looking to start a small business on ebay selling vintage fashion. The target audience are young non-Muslim women and the clothing sold does not adhere to Islamic guidelines of dressing for women. Is it ok for me to sell such clothing items? If so what about marketing them? Am I allowed to use real women as models in photo shoots? Please help me gain some understanding about what is permissible.

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

Yes, it is permissible for you to sell such clothing items. Clothing has permissible uses and so your work is in and of itself permissible. How other people will use such permissible clothing does not effect the permissibility of your work. For further details, please see:

Is It Permissible to Work for a Casino Valet Parking Company?

As for displaying the clothing you are selling on female models, then this would only be permissible if they are covered properly. Otherwise, it would be not.

Salman

Renting Out Property Purchased Through Mortgage, and Wearing Shirts Sponsored by Unlawful Companies

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

Question: (1) One of my family properties we have on rent is on mortgage. So is the rent from the mortgaged house classified as haram income? We do not consume interest money from the bank because we told the bank not to give us interest money. But i know that mortgages are haram and my intention is to get rid of it as soon as i get a job. I just hope that the income is not haram.

(2) Furthermore, i am aspiring to become a professional footballer (soccer player). So i would like to ask if the shirt sponsorship is a haram company such as a bank or beer company, would it be haram to wear it? Would the income become haram if i wore it?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

(1) The rent contract is a separate transaction from the home mortgage, and so the rent you earn is lawful income. When one acquires a house by conventional mortgage, then the house does come into the person’s ownership, despite the unlawful aspect of giving interest. As such, one may rent out that property. Of course, as you state, you should get rid of the mortgage as soon as possible, within reasonable circumstances.

(2) Wearing a shirt sponsoring an unlawful company would be sinful, yet this has no bearing on the income you earn for playing the sport. You might want to consult a local scholar for advice about playing professional sports, as there are some ethical issues that arise in such a profession.

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Working for Valet Company that Parks Cars for a Casino

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

Question: I am talking to a brother for marriage. He works as a valet for a valet parking company. They tell him where he will be parking cars for the night like a restaurant or a casino. Is parking the cars for those people going to the casino haram? The casino also gives free buffet food to those who use the valet service. Is parking their cars considered aiding them in sin? Is his job halal, even though he does work for the casino?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

Such work would be permissible according to the Hanafi school, since it entails indirect assistance in sin, which is disliked but not sinful according to Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him). [Sarakhsi, Mabsut; Kasani, Bada’i; Zayla’i, Tabyin]

Of course, it would entail greater taqwa and piety to avoid it. Also, he should definitely hate the unlawful aspects of those companies in his heart, as hating the unlawful is an obligation.

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Can I Borrow Money From Someone Whose Income Comes From an Unlawful Source?

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Answered by Sidi Faraz A. Khan

Question: Assalamu alaikum, can I borrow money from someone whose wealth is all haram to start up a halal business? Will the money that I get through that business be halal? For example, if I borrow and use this money to build houses and then rent them out or sell them, will the money that I get from selling and renting these houses be halal money if the houses were built with haram money?

Also I know you are allowed to borrow money from someone whose wealth is a mixture of halal and haram, but does the halal money have to be more than the haram money for it to be permissible for you to borrow, or does it not matter if the haram is more than the halal money ?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and faith.

One cannot borrow from or financially transact with someone whose wealth is completely, or predominantly, haram.

If it is predominantly halal, then financial transaction, borrowing, accepting gifts, etc. would be permissible.

If one is unsure, then the default assumption is that most of their wealth is lawful, unless one is reasonably sure otherwise. One need not investigate into their wealth, but rather the basis is what is apparent.

[Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Fatawa Hindiyya]

Related Answer:

Family, Haram Income, and Maintaining Ties

And Allah knows best.

wassalam

Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Can I Work at a Supermarket Checkout That Sells Pork and Alcohol?

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Can I work at the check out of a supermarket that sells pork and alcohol? Is my income halal? Also, will touching such pork and alcohol render my hands and clothes filthy?

Answer: Walaikum assalam,

1. It would be permitted to work on the check out of a supermarket that sells things Muslims consider impermissible (such as pork, alcohol, wine, or food items with haram ingredients). One’s earnings will be lawful (halal). This is the position of Imam Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him).

One should, however, dislike such items in one’s heart: loving that which Allah loves and hating that which Allah hates is from true faith. (For the reasoning, see first appended answer, below.)

This ruling refers to doing so in a non-Muslim country or in non-Muslim areas in a Muslim country.

2. It is not permitted to sell such items in one’s own supermarket. If one does, it is sinful. The revenue generated from such sales is unlawful. It would be obligatory to:

(a) repent from one’s error itself (through remorse, seeking forgiveness, and determining not to repeat the sin), and

(b) giving away the unlawfully earned money to the poor. (See second answer below.)

3. It is not haram to touch unlawful items, especially when there is a need. Normally, meats are wrapped, and the alcohol in bottles.

As such, there will be no transfer of filth (najasa) onto one’s hands or body. Given this, there is no need to renew your ablutions (wudu) before praying. It may be best, though, to wash your hands, when it is reasonably easy to do so.

And Allah alone gives success.

Walaikum assalam,

Faraz Rabbani.