ASKING:
Assalamualaikum.
Sorry Mr. Ustadz, I want to ask. Did I sin because I worked in a temple, a Buddhist place of prayer?
However, I was allowed to pray five times a day. In fact, even at night prayer I was free. Of course, I pray in a certain place: in a room, or in a place where there is no Buddha statue.
Am I a sinner working in this place? Please enlightenment, thank you.
Greetings, Is it Sinful to Work in a Non-Muslim Place of Worship?
Sari Devi
ANSWER:
Wa'alaikumussalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
My sister who is blessed by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Work is a responsibility, a necessity for someone, especially a Muslim, to support the family and also to be educated in the way of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Of course, the assets we collect must come from lawful assets. Do not let, we collect it from something syubhat. Moreover, from something that is forbidden.
Then, what is the law for people working in non-Muslim places of worship or infidels?
Before we discuss this issue, we must first discuss the law of entering the places of worship of infidels. The majority of scholars allow it, because there are certain needs. On condition, there is no celebration of their religion, there is no religious ritual.
Maybe like we are having a recreation to a temple or a temple, we are limited to recreation and hitchhiking. There we are not in the context of celebrating or attending their religious celebrations. Then it is permissible. Even then it is limited only at certain times.
Meanwhile, the majority of scholars of the Hanafi school of thought confirmed this. So, what is the reason why the scholars do not allow us to enter the places of worship of infidels, because there are celebrations and rituals of their religion.
In the Qur'an, the letter Al-Furqon is mentioned,
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا﴿ ٧٢
From the characteristics of 'ibadur-rahman, it is those who do not give false testimony. And, the most false and heaviest testimony is the testimony of the rituals of other religions.
Then, what about the law of working people, then there is their religious celebration (non-Muslims). For example, we work by trading there. What is important, we do not support their worship. Imam Ahmad said, it is okay, because it is a worldly problem.
But if a Muslim designs, becomes an architect, the jumhur ulama forbids it.
Then, what is the law if a Muslim works there? Even if you are given free time to pray in places where there are no statues of religious symbols, such as Buddha statues in monasteries? In this case, it means that we are in that place for quite a long time. There are certain desires, because we are looking for fortune.
If we said that it is permissible because of entering, because of certain desires, and it has not become a habit, according to the majority of scholars, it is permissible. But if it becomes a daily life, such as cleaning places of worship (non-Muslim), then it will be related to them, then the number of scholars said it is not allowed. That is the opinion of the Syafi'iyah, Malikiyah, Hanabilah circles.
But Imam Hanafi said it was okay. Likewise, contemporary scholars, such as Syekh Yusuf Qordlowi, allow it, because the substance is work. Not supporting their syiar (religion).
If my advice, it's better to find another job. Allah's earth is vast, Allah's fortune stretches everywhere. We should try, looking for a fortune by working in other places, whose relationships are purely worldly. It is not related to the faith of non-Muslims or infidels.
In the Qur'an, the letter Al-Maidah, verse 2 says,
وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ َََََّّٱََْ
"Please help each other in matters of goodness and piety, and do not help each other in matters of sin and enmity, and fear Allah, and indeed Allah is the most harsh in His torment, His torment."
Just like that, for the sake of maintaining our honor as Muslims, it's best to find another job. Even though we are given freedom (to pray five times a day), for me, to be safer we follow the opinion of the majority of scholars, so that we don't work and generate our fortune from non-Muslim places of worship.
Hopefully useful.
God knows best, bish-shawab.
Regards!
Answered by: Ustadz Very Setiyawan, Lc., S.Pd.I., MH
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