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Fatwa CenterHer husband is a satellite installer and has no alternative at the moment
Question
I am having a problem regarding Haram money, my husband works for an organization, the people of that organization have forced my husband without his will to work as a satellite dish fixer, he has to attend to their needs by providing them with T.V channels (music, dramas, films, sports, news, etc.). He wants to leave this job but is afraid that his employers will force him to return to his parental country where he has no one and no place to live, neither does he have any good qualification to do a good job. What is the Islamic ruling for such a condition? Do I, being his wife have to demand for divorce if he is incapable to give up his work?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
We have already clarified in Fatwa 84905 the ruling of working as a satellite dish installer. So, if the situation is as you mentioned - that your husband installs such devices which could be used in some forbidden ways, like to hear music and so forth - then it is not permissible for him to continue doing this job except in case of a necessity. The necessity which makes what is forbidden lawful is when one is pretty sure that he will cause destruction to himself, or face a difficulty which he could not bear if he does not do this prohibition. However, what you mentioned does not seem to be a necessity which permits him to continue doing a forbidden job.
In our view, he should ask his employer to exempt him from working as a satellite installer and he should ask Allaah as much as possible to facilitate the matter for him. So, if this is achieved, then all perfect praise be to Allaah. Otherwise, he should leave this job and look for another job. It might be that Allaah will facilitate for him a better job. Allaah Says (what means): {So seek from Allaah provision.} [Quran 29:17] Allaah further Says (what means): {... And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.} [Quran 65:2-3]
As regards your position with your husband, you have the right to ask him to spend on you from lawful earnings, if he does not accept your request and all his earnings are forbidden, then you have the right to ask for divorce and take the matter to an institution which is specialized in looking into personal matters, like Islamic courts in Muslim countries or institutions which may serve as such in non-Muslim countries.
However, you should not hasten to ask for divorce as it might be that your husband will regain his sound reasoning and earn his daily bread from lawful resources.
Allaah Knows best.
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