Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid
Question:
As Muslims, are we allowed to work in non-Muslim organizations such as churches or Jewish synagogues?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
It is not suitable for a Muslim to work in a Non-Muslim organization, like a church or synagogue, if the work involves any action which is Haraam to a Muslim. Helping them in Haraam would be considered as assisting them in sin.[1] Allah mentions in the Holy Quran, “Help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression.”[2] Therefore, it would not be advisable to work in a church or synagogue.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] (قَوْلُهُ وَجَازَ تَعْمِيرُ كَنِيسَةٍ) قَالَ فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ: وَلَوْ آجَرَ نَفْسَهُ لِيَعْمَلَ فِي الْكَنِيسَةِ وَيُعَمِّرَهَا لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ لِأَنَّهُ لَا مَعْصِيَةَ فِي عَيْنِ الْعَمَلِ (قَوْلُهُ وَحَمْلُ خَمْرِ ذِمِّيٍّ)لَا عَصْرُهَا لِقِيَامِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ بِعَيْنِهِ
(وَ)جَازَ (إجَارَةُ بَيْتٍ بِسَوَادِ الْكُوفَةِ) أَيْ قُرَاهَا (لَا بِغَيْرِهَا عَلَى الْأَصَحِّ) وَأَمَّا الْأَمْصَارُ وَقُرَى غَيْرِ الْكُوفَةِ فَلَا يُمَكَّنُونَ لِظُهُورِ شِعَارِ الْإِسْلَامِ فِيهَا وَخُصَّ سَوَادُ الْكُوفَةِ، لِأَنَّ غَالِبَ أَهْلِهَا أَهْلُ الذِّمَّةِ (لِيُتَّخَذَ بَيْتَ نَارٍ أَوْ كَنِيسَةً أَوْ بِيعَةً أَوْ يُبَاعَ فِيهِ الْخَمْرُ) وَقَالَا لَا يَنْبَغِي ذَلِكَ لِأَنَّهُ إعَانَةٌ عَلَى الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَبِهِ قَالَتْ الثَّلَاثَةُ زَيْلَعِيٌّ. (Raddul Muhtaar, vol.6, pg. 391-392, Darul Fikr Beirut)
[2] (Surah Maidah, verse 2)