Permissible and Impermissible employment

Taking a fee for providing a service

Q: My husband knows some people who makes cards for work. They asked him to get people who want cards. If people go by themselves, they have to pay 80£ to do the test. If they fail the test they not going to get the card. But if you pay more, they can get the card for you without doing the test and you have to pay around 200£.

So my husband gets people and tells them it's 300£ for the cards. He takes them to get the cards and explains everything to them. He takes the money and pays 200£ to the people making the cards and takes 100£ for himself. Is this halal or is it a kind of riba? 

Mechanic fixing beer trucks

Q: I'm a Muslim and I work in a truck company. I'm responsible for all the mechanics in the trucks. Now we started working with a beer company called Heineken in Mozambique. I don't drink and I don't like to be involved with alcohol. I'm the one responsible for all trucks to be on the road.

My question is, is that job permissible for me?

Specializing in computer vision

Q: I am a computer science PhD and I want to specialize in Computer Vision. Please allow me to explain what this does with examples:

1. Self-driving cars use computer vision techniques to "perceive" the surroundings and make decisions (avoid passengers, avoid trees, recognize road sighs, etc.)

2. Security camera uses computer vision for smart, precise facial recognition (not the blurry survey cams)

While these seem to be permissible, it is important to know that this technique is built upon (especially for self-driving cars):

- use camera/sensor to gather data (mostly images/photos/other data) --> cleanly visualize the image by rebuilding the images in 3D--> construct math model for the images --> provide instruction for next move.

As you can see, in order for it to work researchers and engineers must take photos with cameras on car. They also need to build 3D models in computer of human, cars, animals, trees, etc. It is well-known that takings photos, making images, and 3D images of human beings is haraam (not permissible), even though the technology (computer vision) is extremely useful, even for Muslims and Muslim countries (the applications are too many to be named).

Can I study this field and work in this field?

Working as admin in a real estate agent's office

Q: Can I work in an admin job in a real estates agents office?

Some of the duties include:

- Managing telephone calls and taking messages

- Data entry of booked viewings and valuations

- Deal regarding property lettings and sales; establishing their needs, liaising with tenants, buyers, landlords and vendors (over the phone)

- Any other related duties to support business requirements

Applying for a job in Radiology

Q: Can I work in this job?

“Radiology Support Workers are valued members of the Radiology department. We are now seeking to expand this team and are looking to recruit a caring, hardworking and enthusiastic individual. You should be reliable, self-motivated and flexible with excellent communication and inter-personal skills.

You will work closely with Radiologists, Radiographers, Administrative staff and other Radiographic Assistants. Duties will be in all areas of the department and include; assisting with patients and examinations, room preparation, data input onto the department computer system ordering and maintenance of department stock, general housekeeping, undertaking clerical duties and liaising with wards and clinicians.

We are a forward-looking department committed to training and role development.”

Amongst the requirments of working in a hospital is obviously respecting all people and treating all like equals. I worry that if I apply for the job saying that I agree with this, I’d be lying, because realistically it isnt true. For example, men and women arent equal and another example - what if a patient/co worker is homosexual, I dont agree and respect their haraam practices.

Working as a chartered accountant

Q: I have a doubt... sometimes chartered accountants have to record the interest (riba)of a company. The chartered accountant is not involved in that dealing nor he is present in that meeting nor has he witnissed it, but he has to record it as he has to manage other accounts of the company also. So will he also be responsible? Is that also haraam?

Working in a bank & government pension

Q: My father is 68 years old now. He was working as a manager at a government bank for more than 40 years. When he was in his 20's he joined the bank because of the financial problems which his family encountered. At the bank he served plenty of positions such as cashier, assistant manager, credit controller, risk manager, etc. He quit his job at this bank 8 years ago. Now he is working at our village in Baithuz Zakath and Baithul Maal organizations. I would like to present the following points:

• He has never given money for interest (Riba) for him

• He has never borrowed for interest (Riba) for him

• All what he done was he did his job at the bank.

• During his top management career, he was very interested in Islamic banking and tried to introduce Islamic banking system in his bank (At that time, there was no bank to conduct Islamic banking services. Very Recently, his bank started Islamic banking services to its customers. They used my father’s proposals and other documents to start this service)

• He did that job as his livelihood

• Till now, he gets pension from his bank (since his bank is a fully government owned entity, all the funds are directly coming from the treasury)

• He uses his knowledge in banking to uplift the Baithuz Zakath and Baithul Maal organizations in our city. (Many other villages are impressed with his Baithuz Zakath Organization Model. They meet him and get advices and support as well)

• He is very pious. He never misses any of his prayers.

Now I am writing my questions:

1. Is that pension money which my father gets from the bank haraam?

2. If it is haraam, what are the remedies ? (The money which he gets from Baithuz Zakath is not enough for him to meet his day to day needs.

3. Was his job (Banking Job) haraam?