Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Does this mean that working in a mall selling clothes or in a halal grocery store would be haram because some people pay with ATM or Credit cards for their food and or clothes, etc. This would also mean that it is haram to be real state agent and to be a car sales man, right? In fact this would also mean it is haram to work for Islamic bookstores that accept credit card payments for their Islamic books and tapes, right?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
You are confusing a number of issues, Sidi.
1. There is a difference between:
· a direct provider of the haram (such as owning a shop in which one sells pork), and
· working in a lawful job in which there may be indirect interaction with unlawful activity (such as working as a cashier–a halal job–in which some customers may incidentally bring unlawful items they are buying to the counter).
The earnings from the former are haram, for it is directly assisting in sin. The earnings from the latter are halal, for one’s is not a direct means or reason for the sin, though one should try to exercise as much taqwa as one’s situation permits. See attached answer(s).
2. It is permitted to use ATMs, and permitted to use credit cards if one is sure to pay up on time. (Search for ‘credit cards’ at www.sunnipath.com)
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,