Fatwa ID: 02582

Answered by: Ustaadha Bint Salih

Question

Salam,

I hope you are well. Please help me with this dilemma, as I fear to fall into haram due to my lack of knowledge in this matter.

I'm a recent university graduate and currently seeking entry-level jobs. Is it haram to work for a company that provides consultancy and research services for halal clients and sometimes haram clients? By haram clients, I mean offering consultancy services to riba-based banks, insurance companies or even supermarkets that sell alcohol/pork etc. The consultancy services are based around helping the company grow further.

Is this job halal if I only work with clients that are not riba based, or is the job completely haram altogether?

I'd really appreciate some help please.

Jazak Allah Khair

Answer

Abdullah ibn Masood RadiAllahu Anh narrates that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Seeking of halal earnings is compulsory after the obligatory duties.”
(Shuabul Iman lilBaihaqi Hadith 8213)

One should work in such an environment where his income is 100% halal. Two conditions need to be found to determine if the work is lawful or not;

1. The nature of the work is lawful
2. More than 50% of the income is halal.

Bearing this in mind, we can conclude that your job of offering consultancy services to companies as a whole is lawful (as long as you are not advising with business ideas which are against the conduct ofShariah). You now need to check if more than 50% of the overall income is halal. If this is the case then your job will be lawful. However, if more than half the income is haram (ie coming in from ribaetc), then the work will not be lawful. If (as you stated) you decide to work in this job with ‘halal’ companies only, then this would be far better and there would be no issue whatsoever. 

Only Allah knows best.

Ustaadha Bint Salih.  

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

DarulIfta Birmingham.