Conditions for working at a bank

Is it permissible to work as a bank employee?

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما

Some scholars hold the opinion that working for a bank is impermissible due to two reasons:

• One will aid the execution of unlawful transactions (such as interest, etc.)
• All of the money accumulated by the bank is from interest payments; therefore, one’s income will be paid with haram money.

However, the more reliable opinion is that it is permissible as long as one is not directly playing a role in carrying out an unlawful transaction, such as an interest-based loan.

The Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) cursed the one who takes interest, the one who gives it, the one who acts as a witness to it and the one who writes the contract. [Sunan Abi Dawud]

Therefore, it is not permissible to bear witness to, or sign legal documents to pose as a witness to the transaction, or to play any general role in carrying out an unlawful transaction, but a position may be taken which does not involve dealing with such transactions such as a guard or a custodian. Likewise, it is permissible to work as an accountant as long as his job is solely to make records of transactions which have been previously executed, not to carry out new ones.

Furthermore, the income employees receive from the bank is not solely acquired through interest payments, the lawful sources of the capital accrued by banks outweigh the unlawful ones. Therefore, their income would be considered halal.

Nevertheless, it is still better to abstain from such jobs to break off any and all connections from interest.

والله اعلم

Allah Knows best.

Approved by: Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani