If All Business Transactions Involve Interest, is It Sufficient to Consider Honesty in a Businessman for a Marriage Proposal?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Do all business transactions involve interest. I am from Pakistan and belong to a business family. It is very common to buy cars on lease from banks in my family, and my parents prefer for me to get married to a businessman too. They would not consider such factors because they think income is halal if someone is otherwise honest in their financial matters. Should I consider this factor while meeting the guy? Also, I have talked about my family, but my fathers and brothers say that it is not possible to find people whose income does not involve interest. Firstly please clarify if this kind of transaction and earning is not halal and secondly, if it should be considered while looking for a spouse.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
Honesty in a person is not the only and sufficient character in a marriage. It is one of the important characteristics out of the many that one needs to possess, especially when getting married. One should do one’s utmost to find someone who earns a halal earning.
Speak to your parents and siblings once again, and involve the local Imam and any righteous people whom your family may listen to and take advice from. Also, pray two rakats Prayer of Need (Salat al-Haja) and Seeking Guidance (Salat al-Istikhara), and continue to ask and pray to Allah Most High for guidance and success in all matters.
Honest Businessman with Prophets, Truthful and Martyrs
Abu Sa’id reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The honest and trustworthy merchant will be with the prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.” [Tirmidhi]
Honest and trustworthy businessmen would include those who earn it in a halal way.
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Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
