QUESTION
I am working in a bank. I know that what I am doing to earn a living is unlawful. I intend to change the profession, but am unable to find an equally well-paying job. Am I committing sin even though I intend to change professions?
ANSWER
Your claim that you cannot find another job with commensurate pay does not excuse your remaining at your present job. Even if you find only a small income elsewhere. it will be better for you than continuing to engage in this unlawful work. If you are truthful with A1laah, then He will surely please and support you. A1laah says: "And for those who fear Allaah, He (ever) prepares a way out, and He provides for him from (sources) he never could expect." (Q65[al-Talaq]:2-3).
The Reward Of The Hereafter Is Greater
Allaah also says: "To those who leave their homes in the cause of Allaah, after suffering oppression, We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world, but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater, If they only realized (this)." (Q1 6[al-Nahl]:41 ) Imam Ibn Kathir writes in his commentary on this verse: "They had abandoned their homes and property, so Allaah compensated them by giving them better in this world. Whoever abandons something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him for it with something better. That is what had actually taken place. They became the leaders and sovereigns of other people. Each one of them became an imam for the believers. Then Allaah promised them an even greater reward in the Hereafter."
My brother, you have to leave this job right away. Abandoning that which is unlawful should be immediate. A mere intention to leave will not be enough while you have the ability to do so. Beware of feeding your family on an unlawful income. Allaah Is Good & Accepts Only The Good Aba Hurayrah (RA) narrated that Allaahs Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allaah is good and accepts nothing but what is good. Indeed, Allaah commands the believers with what He commands the Messengers and says: O Messengers! Eat of the things good and pure and work righteous deeds (Q13 [al-Muminun] :51)
Allaah also says; "O you who believe! Eat of the things good and pure that We have provided for you. (Q2[al-Baqarah]172). Then he mentioned a man who had traveled on a long journey, his hair disheveled and discolored with dust. "He will raise his hands to the sky saying O Lord ! O Lord! but his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothing is unlawful. How then can he be answered?" (Muslim) Ibn Rajab, in his discussion on this hadeeth, says: Allaah's saying "O Messengers, eat of things good and pure" is a command addressed to the Messengers and their people, to eat from lawful income and to do good deeds. Whenever one's food is lawful, his good works will be ,accepted. But if his food is unlawful, then how could the work be accepted?
The following was related by Ibn Abbas: "This verse was recited in the presence of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam): "O you people, eat of what is on earth, lawful and good. " (Q2 [al-Baarah]: 168) Then Sad bn Abi Waqqaas (RA) stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allaah, call upon Allaah for me to make my supplication accepted. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "O Sad make your food good and your supplication would be accepted. By Whom my soul is in His hand, the person may swallow an unlawful morsel then nothing will be accepted from him for forty days. Whosoever flesh was grown from unlawfulness, then the Fire is more suitable for him." [Mu jam al-:Tabarani (6495)].
Also, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "There are four qualities that if you possess them you should not worry for anything else you miss in this worldly life:safeguarding trusts, truthfulness in speaking, good behaviour, and abstaining from what is unlawful in your food." (Ahmad [6652])
For the sake of benefiting from their sage advice, I would like to conclude by relating a few sayings of our pious predecessors on this topic. Abu Abd Allaah al-Nabaji al-Zahid (RAH) said: "Five attributes comprehend the perfection of one's good works: believing in Allaah, knowledge in ones belief, faithfulness in ones acts for Allaah, following the Sunnah, and eating lawful food. If you lose one of these qualities, your works will not reach AIIaah." Wahb b. ai-Ward (RAH) said: "Even if you stay in the mosque (praying) as if you were one of its columns, this will do you no good until you ascertain whether what enters yours stomach is lawful or unlawful." And Allaah knows best.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited