Can i eat at the house of one who works in an Islamic bank?

· 22 Jumada II 1441 AH1 min readFatwa 44196English

Question

We live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and one of the guy I recently met is a Pakistani national working in a bank here (Alinma Islamic Bank). Yesterday the guy invited us on a dinner at his home. I am hesitant to go to his house as he works in a bank and I am not sure if bank earnings are halal or not. What should we do? Should we accept his offer and go to dinner and eat at his home or make an excuse?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Respected Brother,

There is a general misconception among people that working in any bank is Haram and that all the income of a bank employee is Haram. Each case may differ depending on the bank one is employed at and the job profile one holds.

Furthermore, there is a difference between a commercial bank that deals in Haram and an Islamic Bank that offers banking, financing and investments according to Shariah laws of Islamic economics.

Your friend works in an Islamic bank. His income is Halal. It is permissible to accept his invite.

Note:

This Fatwa pertains to an individual working in an Islamic bank. It should not be interpreted as our approval of the bank in reference.[i]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Abdullah Noorgat

Student Darul Iftaa

South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[i] (عيون المسائل للسمرقندي الحنفي (ص: 478)

ولو أن رجلاً أهدى إليه إنسان يكتسب من ربا أو رجل ظالم يأخذ أموال الناس أو اضافة فإن كان غالب ماله من حرام فلا ينبغي له أن يقبل ولا يأكل من طعامه ما لم يخبره أن ذلك المال أصله حلال ورثه أو استقرضه أو نحو ذلك. فإن كان غالب ماله حلال فلا بأس بأن يقبل هديته ويأكل منه ما لم يتبين عنده أنه من حرام.

(المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 367)

وحاصل المذهب فيه أنه إن كان أكثر ماله من الرشوة والحرام لم يحل قبول الجائزة منه ما لم يعلم أن ذلك له من وجه حلال، وإن كان صاحب تجارة وزرع وأكثر ماله من ذلك، فلا بأس بقبول الجائزة ما لم يعلم أن ذلك له من وجه حرام، وفي قبول رسول الله عليه السلام الهدية من بعض المشركين دليل على ما قلنا.

(الفتاوى الهندية (5/ 343)

آكِلُ الرَّبَّا وَكَاسِبُ الْحَرَامِ أَهْدَى إلَيْهِ أَوْ أَضَافَهُ وَغَالِبُ مَالِهِ حَرَامٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ، وَلَا يَأْكُلُ مَا لَمْ يُخْبِرْهُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْمَالَ أَصْلُهُ حَلَالٌ وَرِثَهُ أَوْ اسْتَقْرَضَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ غَالِبُ مَالِهِ حَلَالًا لَا بَأْسَ بِقَبُولِ هَدِيَّتِهِ وَالْأَكْلِ مِنْهَا، كَذَا فِي الْمُلْتَقَطِ.

فتاوی دار العلوم زکریا (714/7)

... اگر غالب حلال ذرائع سے ہے تو اس کی دعوت قبول کرنا اور ہدیہ قبول کرنا جائز اور درست ہے....

فتاوی محمودیہ (27/125-126)

.. اگر ایسا آدمی حلال مال سے دعوت کرے، تو اس کا قبول کرنا درست ہے

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Answered by
Abdullah Noorgat
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

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