Letters to the Editor

Q. I am working in a bank for the last 27 years. I have read relevant verses about income from interest and usury etc. I need not mention that I am neither qualified academically nor religiously. I am paying highest rate of income tax, I don’t treat it as ‘no alternative’ but I am duty bound to pay the tax or ‘jizya’ in the land in which I am living, moreover, I am to abide by the laws of the land. Hence I have to save up to Rs. 80000/- p.a. in tax saving schemes of LIC, UTI, Bonds, P.O. etc. which earn interest at the prescribed rate, fixed by the govt. I also save in the bank which are Welfare Banks, where the interest paid is between 4-10 % and charged is between 12-18 % the difference being, not the profit but administration cost – salary etc. (But Muslims are not getting any finance from the bank). 

Under the circumstance, please advise me should I leave the banks job, give away every thing in charity and restart my academic life, religious life, business life and start earning – saving afresh to perform my Hajj with my family at this tender age of 47. Who will give me a job of my qualification and aptitude, skill of computerization and foreign exchange? As it is there are hardly any Muslims left in the Banks jobs, less then 1% as compared to 20% population in the country, and who will help my brethren for their banking needs?

I have consulted top Muftis and A’alims and scholars on the subject, their views in the light of Fiqh and Shari’ah is otherwise.

Husain Ali,
 Mumbai

YMD

What you have done in the above lines is to pose a personal problem to the Muftis. You seem to be saying in effect, “These are my earnings and this is my situation. Now, allow me to continue and find a way to make it Islamically legal. If you cannot, then give me a workable solution. Take care that I don’t lose anything. But, if you cannot do that, then it will prove that the demand to give up the prohibited is unreasonable.” This is the gist of your long letter, which we have shortened.

The approach then is incorrect. The Shari`ah, or those who know the Shari`ah (the Muftis, or scholars) are not there to solve the problems of the individuals or communities. Nor is there anything in the Islamic message to solve human problems that arise with the acceptance of its call.

The Islamic message is no more than a statement of what is best for the human beings in reference to this world as well as – and more particularly – the next. After the statement is made, human beings are left with a choice. Either they accept or they reject. In either case it is they who bear the consequences, good or bad. Allah said to the first man on earth, and the progeny expected to appear after him: “And when, there comes to you from Me guidance, then whosoever followed My guidance, shall not fear nor shall they grieve. As for those who deny and cried lies to My revelations, they indeed are the people of the Fire. They shall abide therein forever.

We can notice in the above verse that it did not say, “Whosoever followed My guidance will be helped materially.” It only promised internal peace. It did not also say, “Those who reject will be wiped out.” It only promised Fire in the Hereafter.

In fact, whenever humans chose to follow the guidance, they had to face problems. That is because whenever Allah’s guidance arrived, it found the human society living in a state of complete contradiction to the message and the guidance. The Arabian society at the time of the Prophet is a good case in point. What the Prophet brought was altogether different from the practices prevalent in the society. The people then, had the choice. Accept or reject. Acceptance meant a lot of inconvenience and creation of lots of problems. But the Revelation made no concessions to them. It didn’t say, “Accept it in your own fine time.” Or, “Modify it to the best of your convenience.” Or, “Work out a compromise between the religious requirements, and the demands of the society you live in.” It said no such thing. Rather, it said, “Enter into the Religion of Allah wholeheartedly.” As for the problems that arose because of the acceptance, the Revelation paid no attention to them. It left those who accepted its call to solve their problems as best as they could – themselves. Its only concern was, “Are you accepting or not accepting?”

So, problems are not for the message to solve. It is for humans to do. We have a good example in what happened in Afghanistan recently. The scholars and the Mujahideen there chose to install an Islamic system of government. Now, they faced many problems. But the Islamic system did not give any solution to those problems. Nor, did Allah send them material aid from the heavens. In fact, even rains didn’t come down for several years. They were left to solve their problems. (What the people will say in common parlance, “to face the music”). If there had to be any help, it was to come from other Muslims. That they were denied. So, they faced what they faced. Indeed, how can material help from the heavens that solves all the problems be expected? That would go against the entire scheme. And the scheme is, will the people accept the Islamic system for rewards in the Hereafter or not?

Let us illustrate the point with another example. Many people were trading in wine at the time the Prophet appeared. It was the best business after food and cloth businesses, and a lucrative one, seeing how popular wine was. However, when the prohibition came, the people were not given a couple of months or years to find an alternative trade. Nor did the Prophet offer any monetary assistance to wine traders. He would not even allow the stocks at hand to be sold out to those who did not consider it prohibited, such as the neighboring Jews or distant Christians. Instead, he ordered it all collected together at a place behind the Grand mosque. When it was done, he went up and destroyed it all with his own hands. He destroyed even the caskets and wine-bags that were made from fine leather. One of the traders had just received a large consignment from the Roman world. It was lying outside the town waiting transportation. The trader ran up to the Prophet, to ask what he was to do with it all. After all, his entire capital was in liquid out there. “Destroy it all,” he was told.

It may be noted that none of the Prophet’s followers protested at the summary manner in which their life-long earnings and family businesses of centuries was mercilessly destroyed in one stroke, and no compensation was paid. It was simply: “Here is Allah’s guidance. Take it or leave it.” They took it and didn’t go back complaining against a religion that only creates problems: a harsh God who doesn’t care what happens to you, or things of that sort. Of course, they knew they didn’t have to complain. After all, they had a choice: accept or reject. They chose to accept. So, how could they complain?

Ultimately, many dealers in wine became paupers. That was not only because of this measure, but several others that destroyed their economy root and branch. But they didn’t change their opinion. They stuck to their decision and died in rags. It was when they were dead and gone that the revelation came: “Allah is satisfied with them and they are satisfied with Him.” So, all that they got as rewards was words. Right?

In short, what we are trying to say is that the guidance is there. We accept or reject. But we cannot turn back and say, “OK. Supposing I accept. Who will solve my problems?” There is no use in asking such a question. For, there is nobody to listen. Nobody to solve the problem. Nobody cares. It is our problem. We solve it the way we can. If we say, “Oh that is too harsh,” then the answer will be, “Who told you to choose the guidance? Aren’t you free to reject?”

To take up your specific problem, in a way you, (and even we) are lucky. For, there is no Prophet around to accept us or reject us on the basis of our choices. If we delayed in giving up the prohibited, there is no Revelation coming down to announce that we are hypocrites, or we are condemned forever, etc. In this advantageous situation (if it is truly advantageous) the scholars say, “If you cannot give up in one shot, which you should ideally do, then, at least, start looking for an alternative, and give up as fast as you can.” That of course was not acceptable in the Prophetic times. But today it seems to be. Allah knows best.

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