Fatwa ID: 08085
Answered by: Alimah Aisha Qureshi
Question:
I have received a proposal from the daughter of someone who works in a finance company. I want to confirm whether his income and past savings are halal.
He is the VP in the recoveries and receivable department of vehicles. The department responsibilities are:
Contacting people who have not paid their instalment for the vehicle.
If they don’t respond after contacting a few times, filing a legal case and police report against them.
Bringing the vehicles back when people fail to pay their instalment.
He doesn’t directly collect the instalment money as he is in a senior position. He has around 400 people working under him. His role is more around giving advice and distributing work to people under him. He has worked most of his career in this department of the company. Many other practicing Muslims work in his company. He will be retiring from the company in a couple of months. In the past, he consulted an imam about his job, and they said it was halal as long as he was not directly dealing with the instalment money.
Are his income and savings halal? Is it okay to have food from his income or accept gifts from him? If his daughter is pious and deeni, will it be alright to accept their proposal? Please note that her mother also works and earns money.
JazakAllah khair
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Based on the information provided, if the finance company deals with interest-based loans for vehicles, then the instalments mentioned could involve interest, which is haram (forbidden) in Islam, as stated in Surah Baqarah verse 275:
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يَأۡكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ مِنَ ٱلۡمَسِّۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡبَيۡعُ مِثۡلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰاْۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوۡعِظَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمۡرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَنۡ عَادَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ﴾
“Those who consume interest will not stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being overcome by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, “Trade is just like interest.” But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns to [dealing in interest or 1 similar transactions] – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
Regarding the income of the person in question, since he is in a senior administrative role and his responsibilities involve overseeing the recoveries department, which deals with reclaiming vehicles due to non-payment (potentially involving interest), the permissibility of his income depends on whether his salary is directly tied to or a portion of the interest-based transactions.
If his income is solely from an administrative role and not directly linked to the collection or calculation of interest, then his earnings would generally be considered permissible.
However, if a portion of his salary or the company’s profits from which he is paid is derived from interest, then that portion would be considered haram.
Fatawa Hindiyyah (vol. 65, pg. 165) states:
«وَمَنْ يَعْمَلُ فِى مَؤَسَّسَةٍ تَعْمَلُ بِالرِّبَا فَإِنَّهُۥ لَا يَجُوزُ لَهُۥ قَبُولُ أُجُورِهِۦ فِي ذَٰلِكَ وَيَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ تَرْكُهُ»
“And whoever works in an institution that deals with interest, then it is not permissible for him to accept his wages for that, and it is obligatory upon him to leave it.”
However, given that he is in a senior position with administrative duties and does not directly handle the interest money, and other practicing Muslims work in the same company, there is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the permissibility of such employment. Some consider it permissible if the role is purely administrative and not directly facilitating the haram activity, while others are more stringent.
Regarding having food from his income or accepting gifts: It is best to avoid consuming from potentially haram income or accepting gifts that are directly sourced from it. If there is doubt about the major portion of his income being halal, it is more prudent to be cautious. However, if his wife also earns independently, then food or gifts from her earnings would be permissible if her income source is halal.
Regarding accepting the proposal: The piety and religious commitment (deeni) of the daughter are important factors in considering a marriage proposal. If she is pious and righteous, and you find her to be a suitable match in terms of your religious values and compatibility, then accepting the proposal would be permissible in principle. The potential issues with her father’s income do not directly affect her suitability as a spouse, especially if she has her own understanding and adherence to Islamic principles.
It would be wise to further inquire about the specific nature of the father’s role and the company’s financial structure to gain more clarity on the source of his income. If there is still significant doubt, prioritizing marriage with someone whose income is clearly halal would be a more cautious approach. However, the piety of the potential spouse should also be given due consideration.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
