Fatwa ID: 07228
Answered by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Question:
My question is related to a job I was working on through the internet before, where I was earning money that’s in crypto payment methods, so basically I was in the niche of NFTs. A non-fungible token is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity. It cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchain and can be transferred by the owner, allowing NFTs to be sold and traded.
I was working for marketing agencies where they provide marketing services for NFT projects, and I would bring clients to these agencies to earn a commission. Now, these NFT projects, some have artworks, some have 3D designs of humans/animals, etc, and when I researched, I saw that if NFTs have artworks or designs of humans, then they are haram. My question is: Is the money I earned through getting clients halal or haram even though I wasn’t directly selling artworks or drawing, and can I still do this kind of job in the future?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In Islamic jurisprudence, the permissibility of earning through certain activities, including those involving NFTs (non-fungible tokens), can be nuanced and depends on various factors.
Understanding NFTs and Their Content
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are digital assets verified using blockchain technology. They can represent a variety of items, including artwork, music, and virtual real estate. The content of these NFTs can significantly impact their permissibility in Islam:
1. Artwork Depicting Living Beings: Traditional Islamic scholarship generally discourages the creation and use of images depicting living beings, such as humans and animals, especially if these images are used for purposes that could be considered idolatrous or otherwise inappropriate. This stems from numerous hadiths, including the one where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The makers of these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be said to them, ‘Give life to what you have created (i.e., these pictures).’” (Sahih al-Bukhari (5181)).1
2. Permissibility of Digital Content: There is some flexibility in modern contexts where images and digital representations are used for educational, medical, or other beneficial purposes. However, artwork purely for decorative or speculative purposes often remains under scrutiny as this would fall under the shariah objective of Hifz Nafs and Hifz Aql. (Maqaasid Shariah, page 29)
Your job involves bringing clients to marketing agencies that promote various NFT projects. This intermediary role raises several questions:
1. Indirect Involvement: While you are not directly creating or selling potentially impermissible artwork, you are facilitating the promotion of these NFTs, some of which may include images of living beings. According to Islamic principles, facilitating haram (impermissible) activities, even indirectly, can be problematic. The Quran states: “Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in sin and transgression” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:2).
2. Nature of the Content: If the majority of the NFT projects you promote do not involve impermissible content, the earnings may be considered more permissible. However, if a significant portion of the NFTs include haram elements, your earnings could be tainted by this association.
If you decide to continue in this field, you could consider setting parameters for the types of projects you choose to promote, focusing on those that align more closely with Islamic principles.
Exploring alternative areas within the digital or marketing sectors that do not involve questionable content might provide a more straightforward path to halal earnings.
1 حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا اشْتَرَتْ نُمْرُقَةً فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ عَلَى الْبَابِ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ، فَعَرَفْتُ فِي وَجْهِهِ الْكَرَاهِيَةَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ، مَاذَا أَذْنَبْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَا بَالُ هَذِهِ النِّمْرِقَةِ ”. قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ اشْتَرَيْتُهَا لَكَ لِتَقْعُدَ عَلَيْهَا وَتَوَسَّدَهَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ ”. وَقَالَ ” إِنَّ الْبَيْتَ الَّذِي فِيهِ الصُّوَرُ لاَ تَدْخُلُهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
