Is It Permissible to Translate Documents for Banks?

Question: I was recently asked to translate texts of a financial nature (banking, bank statements, loans, mortgages, etc.). Would the income I earn from translating these kinds of texts be lawful? I would be paid by a translation agency, not by the bank itself, but the fact that I would help a ‘bank’ is troublesome to me.

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

Yes, it would be permissible to engage in such translation work as you would not be directly assisting in sin. The translated documents do not necessarily have to be used for the impermissible transactions; for example, they could be used for record-keeping (Maydani, al Lubab).

The prohibition is for someone who is actively engaged in a usurious transaction. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) cursed the one who consumes interest, the one who gives it, the one who documents [the transaction], and the one who acts as a witness to it; he said, ‘They are all the same’ (Muslim).

Please refer to this video in the principles of assisting in sin. May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

Please also see:

Receiving Funding from a Commercial Bank

Is Banking Interest Killing the Barakah in Our Lives?

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.