Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu
Barak Allahu feekum and keep you on the path of Truth
I work as a Pharmacist, and the Labour Social Welfare Law was enforced upon us, it is mandatory and if we do not pay the fees, then we will not receive a work license … They take an amount from us and invest it in the bank, as was written in the contract, and upon the death of the pharmacist colleague, the Social Welfare Fund gives 25,000 Jordanian Dinars to the family of the deceased. The question is: Is this permissible?
What should I recommend my family about this money? Would it be valid if they take what I had paid and give the rest in charity, or should it be returned to the Pharmacists Board, or what should they do with it? May Allah reward you.
From
Sham Al-Izz
Wa Alaykom Assalam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh,
The Labour Social Welfare Law has different definitions… if it is similar to the pensions law in the boards, i.e. the Pharmacists Board forces you to subscribe to its pensions law and pay specific amount of fees, while if you don’t, you will not be allowed to work as a Pharmacist, i.e. you would not receive a Pharmacy Work License if you do not subscribe to it and pay the fees… then after a specific age, you are given a Pensions salary and / or a specific amount of money after death… if this was the case, and this subscription is mandatory otherwise you will not be allowed to work as a Pharmacist, then it is permissible to subscribe to it because this serves as taking a permit for a Mubah (permissible) job, and this is allowed, but in case the subscription and paying of fees becomes optional, and would not affect the job permit, then subscribing in it would be Haram.
As for the Board investing the money in Riba, then if this stops at your consent, i.e. if you consented to the investing of what you pay of fees of Riba, then it would be considered Riba, but if you did not consent, then it would not be, in this case, it is not permitted for you to approve to running your money into Riba. As for if running it into Riba was not done at your decision, i.e. not in your hands, then there is nothing upon you, as long as your subscription and paying the fees do not go beyond taking the work permit.
As for what is given to your family upon your death by the Fund in this case, i.e. in the case where your subscription is only limited to what is necessary to take the work permit, then they are allowed to take it, and they deserve the inheritance… And I personally would like from you to designate a part of it to the poor and the needy, because this is better and more kind, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى lengthen your life to do all that is good.
Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah.
04 Dhul Qi’ddah 1434 AH
10 September 2013 CE