The Obligation of Work
Question :

When is it obligatory for a man to work?

Answer :

It is obligatory for a man to support himself and his dependents, and if he cannot support them without work, then he must work.

Work on Friday
Question :

Is it forbidden to work on Friday after hearing the Adhan at noon?

Answer :

Work is not prohibited after the Adhan on Fridays, since one has the choice at that time between offering Friday prayer or Dhuhr prayer, and the obligation is in between these two choices.

Woman in Advertisement
Question :

If I want to advertise a product for my business, am I allowed to use a woman that does not wear hijab as a model in the advert to be advertised all over the world?

Answer :

If in doing so, there is a propagation of prohibited things and corrupt behavior, then it is not permissible.

A Woman at Work
Question :

If a man keeps a woman on work in order to attract customers, then what he earns is it halal or haram?

Answer :

The earnings are lawful, but we warn from such ways of earning as it might lead to prohibited acts.

Hijab at Work
Question :

Is the income of a believing woman lawful if she does not wear hijab at work, voluntarily or because she was required at her workplace not to do so?

Answer :

A woman must wear the hijab during work and in other places in the presence of non-Mahram men. If she decides not to, she will be a sinner, but this does not affect the lawfulness of the income that she receives for such a work.

Working in Dramas and Movies
Question :

Is it permissible - as a male actor - to work in dramas and movies with Muslim actresses, who although wear appropriate clothing but usually adorn their faces with make-up? Is it permitted to look at their faces while doing a scene together?

Answer :

Working as an actor is permissible, but it is prohibited to look at them with lust.

Female Teacher
Question :

Is it permissible for a female teacher who wears proper hijab to teach boys?

Answer :

It is permissible to do so as long as decency and modesty is guarded.

Installment
Question :

Is it permissible to work in a company that uses a system said to be Islamic, through which high priced items are sold in installments to such people who can not pay the price lump sum when the total amount of installments is higher than the current value at the time of sale. On the payment of the final installment, the car becomes the buyer's?

Answer :

It is permissible to sell high priced items in installments even if the total price is more than the price at the time of the deal. Yes, the religious transfer of the ownership is at the time of the deal. It is permissible to delay the registration of the ownership to the last installment. Based on that, it is permissible to work from this aspect.

Storing Food Products
Question :

I work in a supermarket where I shelve and stock food products in the store, including pork. Is this permissible?

Answer :

Yes, it is permissible.

Working in a Supermarket
Question :

Is it permissible to work in a supermarket where alcoholic beverages are sold?

Answer :

If it does not lead to being involved in selling them, then it is permissible.

Working in a Bank
Question :

Is working in a bank right for a person even though Islam says that interest is illegal?

Answer :

It is not permissible to make a deal that includes interest or write it or ask the customer to pay the interest. Other works are permitted in banks.

Interest-Related Activity
Question :

A person works in a company, in which a part of his work is related to interest-based activities. Will all his income become unlawful or the part of it?

Answer :

If one of the elements of his work involves forming interest-based contractual agreements (e.g. drafting them) or ask the customer to pay the interest, then his earnings pertaining to that part of his work is unlawful.

Personal Trainer
Question :

Is it prohibited for me – as a man – to work as a personal trainer in a gym?

Answer :

It is not permissible for a man to work with females if it leads to skin contact with non-Mahram women, or it leads to sexual desire that results from looking at them.

Working in a Supermarket
Question :

Can I work in a place such as a supermarket that sells alcohol, pork and non-halal meat, with the condition that I will not be touching or delivering these products to the customers?

Answer :

It is permissible to work in the said case.

Working in the Central Bank
Question :

I am employed at the central bank of my country and my responsibilities include making correspondence with banks, categorizing each bank as good, satisfactory, or bad etc. with respect to financial position and the like. Please guide me whether my salary is permissible?

Answer :

If your work in the bank does not include editing contracts that involve interest or participating in forming such contracts by being a party to them, then working in banks is permissible. The cash bills that you receive from the government from such work as salary, if they were previously owned by Muslims, are called “Majhool al-Malik”. The religious obligation on it is to receive it with the intention of being on behalf of His Eminence (may Allah grant him a long life), and then intend to take ownership of it.

ٍٍٍSelling Software
Question :

I recently received a promotion in my job that is going to require me to sell our software to the Financial Services sector. This includes banks and entities who support, manage, and provide services through the use of interest (Riba) and many of these financial services companies hold stock in companies that engage in forbidden business. Our software helps these financial services companies make better business decisions, so our software directly helps their business. Is the kind of work that I have now permitted?

Answer :

It is permissible.

Pizza Driver
Question :

I live in a non-Muslim country. Can I work here as a pizza deliverer, knowing that I may have to deliver alcohol and pizzas with toppings of unlawful meat?

Answer :

It is impermissible to purchase or sell alcohol, meat of an animal that was not slaughtered in accordance to the sharia and meat of the pig, even if one acts as an agent on behalf of the actual buyer or seller. However, it is permissible to deliver such prohibited items after the actual sale, unless such an act involves another prohibition, like if it encourages the committing of sins.

Serving Prohibited to Consume Meat
Question :

Is it permissible to work in a fast-food restaurant in a non-Muslim country where I serve chicken and beef as well as pork? Are my earnings and tips there lawful?

Answer :

If you were not the one who is part of the purchase contract, then it is permissible to do such work. If this work is considered despicable to you, as you are serving food that is amongst the firm prohibitions in the Islamic faith, and this would give a negative impression of you in the eyes of people around you, then it is prohibited from this aspect, since it is prohibited for the believer to cause himself to be humiliated. Otherwise, the actual action of transferring prohibited food from the seller to the buyer is not prohibited and taking payment and tips for it is permissible also.

Dealing with Pork
Question :

Is there a situation in which dealing with pork is permissible? For example, I am considering getting a job as a delivery driver, but I am required to deliver pizzas which contain pork.

Answer :

If you were not the one who sells the pork, or sell the pizzas that contains the pork, but you only deliver it, then the work is permissible.

Music in a Taxi
Question :

My friend drives a mini-bus taxi in Norway, and he has a music system in the mini-bus, where customers can read the text on the TV and sing songs. When he has this type of music system in the taxi, people order his taxi in advance just to sing songs. Is it allowed to accept this kind of tours?

Answer :

If the trip charges includes a part for the music and singing service, then this charge is prohibited. If the fare of the trip does not include this service, then the charge is permissible. In all cases, it is prohibited to listen to music that gives rise to enjoyment.