Is the salary from working in the archives of an archaeological institution, whose income relies on archaeological tourism, selling publications, and renting out shops, and which spends on excavations, archaeological sites, supporting the Ministry of Culture, and artistic festivals, permissible (halal) or forbidden (haram)? And is it permissible to utilize the money and possessions earned from this work if it is forbidden? And is it permissible to continue in it until another job is found?
The questioner must specify the nature of the antiquities that the institution they work for is interested in. If they are among those things that Islamic law commanded to be removed, such as idols and graves, then it is not permissible to work in this field, and the money earned from it is unlawful and must be disposed of by spending it on the welfare of Muslims, unless the questioner is in need of it, in which case they may take from it what suffices their need until they find a permissible alternative. This work must be abandoned unless the questioner is compelled to it, and in that case, the utilization of the income is restricted to the extent of necessity only. However, if the antiquities are among those things concerning which no religious prohibition has been issued, and they serve to understand the history of nations and their cultures, then there is no objection to working in this field and receiving wages, and the mixing of the institution's income with lawful and unlawful sources does not affect the permissibility.
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- Original fatwa ID
- 79537
- Imported
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- Source text, unreviewed
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