Working for a company that provides services to banks Fatwa No: 89870
- Fatwa Date:28-4-2005
I have an opportunity to work in a company that provides the following services: consulting, infrastructure, system integration, outsourcing and service technology to the following sectors:
public sector, communication, transportation, commercial, media and financial services such as banks.
Since this company offers its services to banks as well by providing them with outsourcing which may include processing checks transaction for them, consulting, service technology and so on.
My question is: Is it Halaal to work for such a company and if it is yes can I still be involved with work done on behalf of banks if its part of my job. Please email me for more details if my question lacks clarity.
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
In principle this type of work is permissible with the exception of the work that is provided to help an evil like offering technical services for banks that deal with usury and interest, or the media which spread corruption, or to provide counselling for them and the like. All this is forbidden as Allaah says (which means): {Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety but do not help one another in sin and transgression.}[Quran 5:2]. There is no doubt that providing help and counselling services for banks that deal with usury and interest, and other transactions that are forbidden, is considered as helping in sin and transgression. As regards other type of work or services that your company provides to other companies that work in permissible fields, then there is no harm on you to work for them.
Based on the above, you have two choices:
1) To carry on working for this company on the condition that you do not participate in providing any type of work or service or counselling to companies that deal with unlawful transactions/work.
2) If you are obliged to participate in a forbidden work, you are obliged to stop working for this company and look for work in other companies, and Allaah will recompense you with something better. If someone leaves something for Allaah's Sake, Allaah will recompense him with something better. Verily, Allaah never breaks his promise. Allaah says (which means): {… And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine.}[Quran 65:2-3].
Finally, we ask Allaah to enable you to do all that is good.
Allaah knows best.