Asalam alikum wr wb Sheikh, my queston is that i was working in saudi till last year.i came back and decided to stay with my parents as i am only son of my parents and my sister got married.i tried to bring my parents to saudi but there passport is not yet ready bcoz in kashmir it takes years may be 2 to 3 years.now i am searching job in kashmir and i didnt find halal job meaning there are bankjobs which i am not interested bcoz of being haram involved RIBAA.now i can take contracts in government departements to finsih engineering works but here u have to give percentage tahts form of bribe.i am electrical engineer i am thinking of going to saudi again but my parents will be aone i feel restless without my parents plz suggest me what i will do.shud i go for this electrical contracts till i get some other job where no bribe is involved.problem here is that if i do my work as per standard still i have to pay percentage unles they will not clear my bill.now i am ready to sacrifice my proffession of electrical engineer bcoz of my parents i am thinking if i get job in other organisation where no bribe is involved or ribaa i will do so taht i will stay with my parents.i cant start my own business bcoz i dont have enough money to start business.sometims i get restless to leave kashmir then again i think of my parents which is not allowing me to move out.kindly help me and make dua for me so that i can serve my parents and islam and live my life according to quran and sunnah.plz suggest some business oppourtunity where i can start from small amount.day by day i am becoming restless at teh sae time i am praying to ALLAH and trying all options which are available.so am i alloed to take this contractor job till i find some other job.bcoz in contracting even if i am doing my work honestly i ahve to give money during the time of bill cleareance.hoping for your quick answer.Asalam alikum wr wb

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, may Allaah greatly reward you for being kind and dutiful to your parents and for being keen on taking care of them and fulfilling their needs.

If by working in your country you will get enough money to fulfill your needs and the needs of your family, then there is no doubt that it is better so that you will be able to serve your parents and be kind to them.

On the other hand, you are not sinful for undertaking such contracts, and if the employees force you to pay money in order to settle the bills, and you do not find any other alternative than paying money to them, then you are not sinful by paying, and this is not considered a bribe because what is paid in order to repel harm or get lawful rights makes the person who pays it not sinful, but it is the one who takes the money who is sinful.

The author of Tuhfat Al-Ahwathi, while interpreting the Hadeeth reported by At-Tirmithi, said: “As for what is given in order to get a lawful right or repel injustice, then this is not included in it [bribery]. It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood was taken (into custody) in the land of Abyssinia for something, so he gave two dinars so that he will be released; and it was also reported from a group of Imaams from the Taabi’is (the followers of the Companions) that it is permissible for a man to pay money to save himself or his wealth if he fears injustice.”

As regards your request to advise you in which field you may invest your small amount of capital money, then we cannot specify for you a field as this depends on the nature of the market in your country and the people who live there, and the fields that are available for investment there, but there is blessing in trade, especially if one is truthful and pious in his dealings.

Finally, your keenness on kindness and dutifulness to your parents is hoped to make you receive its benefit in this worldly life in addition to the reward that will be reserved for you on the Day of Judgment. That is because being kind and dutiful to the parents is one of the best deeds and the greatest in reward.

Allaah Knows best.