Q 2: Is it Haram (prohibited) or Halal (lawful) for a Muslim laborer in Germany to take wage for work?

A: The basic rule in engaging the services of a person and giving them money in return for work is lawfulness. This is because Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Then if they give suck to the children for you, give them their due payment The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said - as related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim: Allah (Exalted be He) has said: 'I am an opponent of three (types of) people on the Day of Resurrection: One who makes a covenant in My Name but proves treacherous, one who sells a free person (as a slave) and devours his price, and one who hires a laborer and gets the job done by him but does not pay him his wages.' However, if the laborer working for another Muslim or a non-Muslim does a prohibited work, such as pressing or selling wine, selling or serving the flesh of swine, or being engaged in Riba-based transactions which should not be done nor participated in, then the wage taken by the Muslim laborer is Haram because it is earned (Part No. 14; Page No. 478) from a prohibited form of work. Allah (Glorified be He) says: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.