Is It Permissible for Me to Accept Hourly Wages for Time That I Don’t Spend Working?

Answered by Sidi Faraz A. Khan

Question: I work part time as I am also a student. During the assignments, there is always a period in which I am not doing any work, as I always finish assignments early. I usually just check email, surf online, etc. The company rule is that as long as you are in the office/online, you are getting paid.

Is it permissible for me to accept the hourly rate of the amount of hours that I spent goofing off? Although it is my employer’s fault for not giving me enough assignments in a day and not telling me to go home to save himself the labor costs, I still feel uneasy about accepting that money.

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and faith.

A key foundational principle in Islamic commercial law is that transactions are based on mutual consent and approval (taradi). [Majalla, Article 175]

Allah Most High states in the Qur’an, “O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent” (4:29).

In light of this principle, since your company approves of this, it is acceptable and the money you earn is halal, inshaAllah.

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam

Faraz A. Khan

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani