Fatwa ID: 02042
Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Question:
Is working in a bank permissible
Answer:
We as Muslims have to make sure our jobs and salary are 100% lawful.
Saiduna Abu Hurayah 
narrates that the Prophet of Allah 
said: “Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the messengers.” And Allah has said: “O you who believe! Eat of the pure things and do right.” Allah has said: “oh you who believe! Eat of the pure things we have provided you.” Then the Prophet of Allah mentioned a man who journeyed far and dishelved and dusty and spends out oh his hand to the Heavens: “O lord! O Lord! While his food is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can his dua be answered!” (Sahih Muslim)
From this Hadith we can understand that unlawful income does have an effect on ones worship and acceptance of ones duas.
Saaiduna Abu Bakr 
narrated that the Prophet of Allah said “That body will not enter Paradise which has been nourished with Haram” (Sunan Baihaqi)
Saaiduna Ka`b Bin Ujrah narrates that the Prophet of Allah said, “A body nourished with Haram will not enter Jannah”. (Sunan Tirmizi)
Saaiduna Jabir Bin Abdullah narrates that the Prophet of Allah said, “That flesh will not enter Paradise which has grown from Haram, and all that flesh which has grown from Haram, the fire (of hell) is more worthy of it.” (Musnad Ahmad, Sunan Darimi & Sunan Baihaqi)
Two conditions needs to be found for a job to be lawful.
- The nature of the job has to be compatible with the guidelines laid down by the Shariah.
- The wages at least the majority of it has to be from lawful sources.
Keeping this in mind the following bank related jobs would be:
Cashier: Impermissible
Selling Interest based loans or mortgages: Impermissible.
Cleaner: Permissible.
Security: Permissible.
Only Allah Knows Best
Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham.
