I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING MY WORK SITUATION. I STARTED WORKING FOR A SMALL CPA FIRM IN CHICAGO IL AS A STAFF ACCOUNTANT. MOSTLY MY JOB REQUIRES ME TO MAINTAIN RECORDS FOR BUSINESS THAT OUR CLIENTS OWN. HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR TAX FILINGS. RECENTLY DUE TO THE TIMING I HAVE SOME CLIENTS COMING WHO HAVE HAD LATE FILING PENALTIES BECAUSE THEY MISPLACED THEIR MAIL OR NEVER RECEIVED THE LETTER REQUIRING THEM TO FILE CERTAIN PAPERS. DUE TO THIS THEY ARE CHARGED INTEREST BY THE GOVERNMENT.
IS IT HARAM FOR THEM TO PAY IT? MOST OF MY CLIENTS ARE MUSLIM. IS IT HARAM FOR ME TO DO THEIR FILING IF IT INCLUDES INTEREST? DO I FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF BEING WITNESS TO THE TRANSACTION OR BEING THE SCRIBE OF THE DEAL? I WOULD HAVE TO FILL OUT THE FOR AND SIGN THE CHECK.
I WOULD NOT WRITE HOW MUCH THE INTEREST IS JUST THE TOTAL AMOUNT, INFACT IF I WANTED I WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE TO STATE ON THE FORM WHAT THE AMOUNT IS FOR BUT THAT DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THERE IS INTEREST INVOLVED. AGAIN, PLEASE NOTE THAT I MYSELF AM NOT INVOLVED OR IN THIS SITUATION OUT OF MY NEGLIGENCE. I TRY MY BEST TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS DONE ON A TIMELY MANNER. PLEASE GIVE ME THE RULING ON THIS AND ADVISE ME WHAT IS SHOULD DO.
AFTER SEARCHING LONG AND HARD I WAS ABLE TO FIND THIS POSITION THAT I FELT WAS HALAL.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
As an accountant, you are merely recording transactions. You are not part of the transaction. Therefore, if your Muslim clients pay interest and you record it, you will not be sinful for it.[1]
Your Muslim clients’ should explore different avenues to challenge the interest charges and have them dropped if possible. If they are unsuccessful in doing so, they will be excused.[2]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
AbdulMannan Nizami
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, IL, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[1] [صحيح مسلم، كتاب المساقاة، كتاب آكل الربا وموكله، ج٣، ص١٢١٩، دار احياء التراث العربي]
لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آكِلَ الرِّبَا، وَمُؤْكِلَهُ، وَكَاتِبَهُ، وَشَاهِدَيْهِ»، وَقَالَ: «هُمْ سَوَاءٌ»
[تكملة فتح الملهم، باب لعن آكل الربا، ج١، ص٣٨٨، دار القلم]
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ رَجُلَيْنِ أَتَيَانِي، فَأَخْرَجَانِي إِلَى أَرْضٍ مُقَدَّسَةٍ، فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا عَلَى نَهَرٍ مِنْ دَمٍ فِيهِ رَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ وَعَلَى وَسَطِ النَّهَرِ رَجُلٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ حِجَارَةٌ، فَأَقْبَلَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي فِي النَّهَرِ، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ رَمَى الرَّجُلُ بِحَجَرٍ فِي فِيهِ، فَرَدَّهُ حَيْثُ كَانَ، فَجَعَلَ كُلَّمَا جَاءَ لِيَخْرُجَ رَمَى فِي فِيهِ بِحَجَرٍ، فَيَرْجِعُ كَمَا كَانَ، فَقُلْتُ مَا هَذَا؟ فَقَالَ: الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ فِي النَّهَرِ آكِلُ الرِّبَا “
[صحيح البخاري، كتاب البيوع، باب آكل الربا وشاهده وكاتبه، ج٣، ص٥٩، دار طوق النجاة]
[2] ولهذا جاز اعطاءه عند الضرورة الشديدة كما في شرح الاشباه
[تكملة فتح الملهم، باب لعن آكل الربا، ج١، ص٣٨٨، دار القلم]