Fatwa ID: 07017

Answered by: Alimah Jannatun Nessa

Question:

My question is regarding permissibility of employment at a credit card company. I am the main earner of my family and have recently become unemployed unfortunately. I am considering to work in the software engineering department of a company which offers credit cards to general public. My main duties will be to test or troubleshoot the software used by the company to carry out its business activities. At the moment I don’t have any further details on what will be the exact usage of the software I will be testing. Based on the above is it permissible for me to work in such a company? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is not permissible for a Muslim to work for a company that primarily deals with haram and derives the majority of its revenue from interest even if they are not directly involved with these activities. This is because there are many job opportunities where the primary source of income is halal, so choosing to work for a company that mainly engages in haram activities over a halal one would be seen as a conscious decision to support those activities.

However, if a person is completely helpless and unable to find such halal alternatives, then, on the basis of the principle that ‘extreme needs permit prohibitions’, taking on a job that indirectly supports haram, such as working in the software engineering department of a credit card company, would be permissible until a better halal job can be found.

[Surah baqarah, verse 275]

اَلَّذِیْنَ یَاْكُلُوْنَ الرِّبٰوا لَا یَقُوْمُوْنَ اِلَّا كَمَا یَقُوْمُ الَّذِیْ یَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّیْطٰنُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ ؕ ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّهُمْ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّمَا الْبَیْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبٰوا ۘ وَاَحَلَّ اللّٰهُ الْبَیْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبٰوا ؕ فَمَنْ جَآءَهٗ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّهٖ فَانْتَهٰی فَلَهٗ مَا سَلَفَ ؕ وَاَمْرُهٗۤ اِلَی اللّٰهِ ؕ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَاُولٰٓىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ النَّارِ ۚ هُمْ فِیْهَا خٰلِدُوْنَ ۟

Those who consume interest will stand ˹on Judgment Day˺ like those driven to madness by Satan’s touch. That is because they say, “Trade is no different than interest.” But Allah has permitted trading and forbidden interest. Whoever refrains—after having received warning from their Lord—may keep their previous gains, and their case is left to Allah. As for those who persist, it is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Jannatun Nessa

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham