Working for a bank which deals with ribaa

Reference: Silsilah Kitaab ad-Da’wah (1), al-Fataawa – Volume 1, Page 142

Question: The son of my maternal uncle works for the Bank al-Jazeerah as an employee. So is it permissible for him to work there or not?

Please provide us with a fatwa, and may Allaah reward you with good, since we have heard from [some] brothers that it is not permissible to work in a bank.

Response: It is not permissible to work in banks which deal with ribaa, because working therein is considered assisting in sin and transgression. Allaah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says:

{Help you one another in al-Birr and at-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression, and fear Allaah – verily, Allaah is severe in punishment}, [Soorah al-Maa.idah, Aayah 2].

And that which is known is that ribaa is classified as amongst the major sins, so it is not permissible to assist those who work with it.

And it is authenticated from the Prophet ﷺ that he cursed those who ate/benefitted (aakil) from ribaa as well as the one responsible [for the transactions], the one who writes [the transactions] and the witnesses [to the transactions], and he said:

«…they are the same/equal…», transmitted by Imaam Muslim.

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

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