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Fatwa CenterRuling on eating from the husband's ill-gotten gains
Question
I have two sisters; the husband of one of them works as a driver at a bank while the other works in the maintenance department at a hotel that serves wine. My two sisters refrain from eating from the money of their husbands. Is the work of their husbands, and their gains, unlawful? Do they (my sisters) have the right to do so? If yes, is it permissible for me to give them some of my money from Zakaah (obligatory charity) to eat from?
Answer
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
First of all, we would like to thank your sisters for their keenness to free their liability and eat from lawfully earned sustenance. The earnings of these two husbands are ill-gotten gains. The one who works as a driver at a bank is worse than the other one as Riba (usury) is worse than intoxicants and the driver carries the Riba-based contracts and other things and takes his salary from the bank in return for doing this. As for the other man who works at the maintenance department of a hotel that serves intoxicants, his gain is suspected and he will bear a sin as his work is part of preparing this place.
To conclude, these two jobs are counted among the ill-gotten gains. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
· {O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you} [Quran 2:172]
· {and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil} [Quran 7:157]
They are also cooperating in sin and aggression. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.} [Quran 5:2]
We should all fear Allaah as much as we can. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And whoever fears Allaah - He will make for him a way out} [Quran 65:2]
In fact, the one who sincerely seeks lawfully earned sustenance will be guided by Allaah The Almighty to find it.
If they do not accept the advice and continue with their work, and your sisters need money to buy food and the like, you might pay them what is sufficient for them from the Zakah that is due on your property.
Allaah Knows best.
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