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Is it permissible to work for an IT consultancy that writes software for interest-bearing companies?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Muftisays.com
As-Salamau alaikum Wa rahmatullah,

Dear Shuyookh,
I would like to know whether it is permissible to work for an IT consultancy that writes software systems for the asset finance industry. The income earned is thorough sales of the software and subscriptions. The overwhelming majority of customers are interest bearing companies, including retail banks, insurance companies, investment banks etc – all of whom have a significant interest income.

The customers use software to do both halaal and haraam (i.e. interest bearing transactions).

Is such a job halal? Is the income from that job halaal? Is this violation of the ayah: “.. ta’wanoo alal birri wat taqwa, wa la ta’awanoo alal ‘ithmi wal udwaan..”?

Ma’as salaamah
Abdullah


Answer

Bismillah

Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah’s guidance)

To work in such companies where giving advice on interest based dealings to banks, insurance companies etc, or selling products which has specific uses in their interest dealings, is not permissible. Hence, this will be cooperating in sin. If, however, the product has no specific uses for interest dealings, then there should be no problem in selling it.

(Al Hidaya, Book of detested things)

And Only Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.

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Moulana Qamruz Zaman
London, UK

This answer was collected from MuftiSays.com, based in London (UK). It is one of the fruits of Darul Uloom London. Many ‘ulama are involved in answering the Q&A on the site, including: Shaikul Hadeeth Mufti Umar Farooq Sahib, Mufti Saifur Rahman Sahib, Mufti Abdullah Patel Sahib, Maulana Qamruz Zaman Sahib, Mufti Abu Bakr Karolia Sahib.

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