Has State Bank Removed the Rizq e Halal Watermark From New Currency Notes?

A wave of posts on social media has claimed that Pakistani banknotes no longer carry the inscription about lawful earnings, which goes as “Husool-e-Rizq-e-Halal Aeen Ibadat Hai,” which means “Earning a lawful livelihood is an act of worship.” This has sparked criticism that this removal erases the line between legal and illegal income. These claims, however, are completely false. One Facebook post stated that older currency notes bore the iconic phrase mentioned earlier, but the words had been dropped from newly issued notes. The user went on to suggest that this change undermined the distinction between halal and haram, demanding to know who was responsible. Similar claims circulated across multiple platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. An official confirmation, backed by an independent review, shows that the inscription remains on new notes and has not been removed. A State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Geo News that the central bank’s website clearly identifies the inscription as one of the security features printed on the back of every currency note. The official also shared the relevant section of the website, which outlines the design and security details for denominations from Rs. 10 to Rs. 5,000 currency notes. Among the listed features is the phrase “Husool-e-Rizq-e-Halal Ibadat Hai.”