Fatwa ID: 05211

Answered by: Mufti Eunus Ali

Question

Assalamualikumwarahmatullah, hope you are doing well and may Allah SWT accept your efforts and keep all the ulama e Haq healthy and steadfast.

I wanted to know about a side business which I am trying to do, outside my company job. My present company is an IT Services company and I have the offer letter which states I cannot do any other work-related. But I recently had a meeting in my current company for an IT project, which our company declined. Then I passed that client details to my friend who is also in the same business, and he has signed all the documents and other formalities with that company and soon the client company will give him a project to do. I told my friend to share with me some profit. I am anxious whether taking this share will be permissible for me or not.?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Answer

Allah has stated: ‘0 those who believe, fulfil the contracts’ (Surah Maidah: 1)

It is understood from this injunction of the Quran that it is a must for one to fulfil any contract between themselves and others. [1]

In regards to your question, the simple referring of the client to your friend is not considered to be ‘related work’ as you are not directly working for him.

As for the profit, if your friend is to share it with you out of his own will and he does not require you to do work for him (as doing any work for him may be in violation of your contract which will not permissible according to the above-mentioned verse) will be permissible, as this will be in the form of a gift from him and not a wage.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Eunus Ali

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Mariful Quran, Volume 3, Page 19