Earning unlawful income to bring family to Canada
23-3-2016 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamu alaykum Brother. I am a student living in canada. Formerly, I asked about the purity of my job that I have in a call centre, and you helped me a lot by letting me know that the job is not halal. I have another question regarding this. As the job is not halal, I will quit it, Allaah willing, and look for another one. However, I am a student, I have no family or friends here who can help me financially. Though my only expenses come from my parents living in another country, Allaah willing, after five or six months, my wife and two children will join me in Canada. If i leave the job now, I will not be able to bear their expenses. It is really hard for students to find a halal job. Can I continue my job while looking for another job one? As soon as I get another job to cover the expenses of my family, I will quit the current job, Allaah willing. My question is: is it permissible for me to continue my job in such circumstances? Please let me know as soon as possible as I do not want to live in any haram. May Allaah reward you.
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 ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
If you can handle only the lawful requests and assist the clients to obtain them, then there is no harm in that and your income from this work is lawful. It is impermissible for you to handle the unlawful requests; Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.} [Quran 5:2]
When the Muslim works in a job that involves both lawful and unlawful duties, part of his income is lawful in proportion to the lawful duties because deeming the income lawful depends on the permissibility of work.
Your intention to have your family move to Canada and live with you does not make it lawful for you to work in an unlawful job because this is not considered a necessity. There is no doubt that there are many lawful means of earning a living for whoever strives in seeking them. Needless to assert, whoever fears Allaah and abandons the unlawful for His sake, He will make for him a way out (of every distress).
Allaah knows best.