My father wants me to marry a banker. I myself did my first job at a Bank, but when I learnt through some authentic sources that interest is prohibited, I immediately resigned. Now I am upset because I can’t stand a life where the major source of income for me & my family would be that very corrupt & filthy system of banking. I have no other objection in this proposal because the boy and his family are good otherwise. Although he is not a practicing Muslim, he is very honest, decent and affectionate. Please advise.

Well in this regard what needs to be understood is that the real thing which is prohibited and harām is charging of interest. The money earned through a bank job is not harām. However, a banker is actually doing something undesirable by doing this job since this amounts to co-operating with evil and only in compelling circumstances should one do such a thing.

The other thing is that if a person is not a practicing Muslim, then this is something more alarming than being a banker. A lady should positively look for a practicing Muslim. I think if you make this criteria, then you will find practicing Muslims who are not bankers either. Also, there may be practicing Muslims who are convinced that bank-interest is not the interest prohibited by the Qur’ān. If they have sincerely formed this opinion and are intellectually honest in this regard, then of course such bankers are a category apart. They have adopted a view point not in violation of Islam but because they are intellectually convinced about the fact that it is in conformity with Islam. I do not think that marrying such ‘bankers’ can be objected to. Of course, you may not be comfortable in marrying such people – in which case you should not.