Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
I found a job working for [a company]. I started yesterday when I discovered that I am dealing with insurances. I have to call people by phone and sell insurance taking a certain amount from the customer and in the event they have a physical breakdown (i.e., losing their two arms), the company will compensate them with (say) a million euros. Is my role here permitted by sharia?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Previous answers on Sunni Path have explained in detail why prevalent forms of insurance are unlawful (haram) to acquire, except in very particular situations. (Search for term at www.sunnipath.com)
Given this, and the generally accepted legal principle that, “Anything unlawful to acquire is unlawful to give or sell,” [al-Ashbah] it would also be unlawful to sell insurance.
A person overwhelmed with debt asked the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) for help. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told him,
“Even if you had debts like Mount Seer, Allah would take care of it for you: say,
اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ
Allahumma kfini bi halalika `an haramik
Wa aghnini bi fadlika `amman siwaak
(O Allah, grant me sufficiency in your lawful provision from the unlawful, And free meby your Gracefrom all besides You)
[Related by Tirmidhi and Ahmad]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَسَّانَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَقَ عَنْ سَيَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ مُكَاتَبًا جَاءَهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ عَجَزْتُ عَنْ كِتَابَتِي فَأَعِنِّي قَالَ أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ عَلَّمَنِيهِنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَوْ كَانَ عَلَيْكَ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ صِيرٍ دَيْنًا أَدَّاهُ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ قَالَ قُلْ اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ