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Working as Sales Person for Website with Access to Stock Exchange

Question

I work as a sales person for website that offers an Internet service to gain access for foreign stock exchange such as Nasdaq, Nyse, and ASE. As far as I know the stock exchange is not forbidden. But there is a Problem. For example let us assume that you opened an account and 10000 dollars. You invested 5000 dollars in buying shares, and the other 5000 remains uninvested. The uninvested 5000 dollars will be invested by them and then they will pay you interests or dividends (it's your choice in the application you fill, you can either choose to earn taxable interest or non-taxable dividends). The problem is that it is an American Bank and they could invest money in things that could be against the Islamic religion.
As a salesperson, do I have any responsibility? And what do you advise me to do? Please reply as soon as possible.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, you should know that the lawfulness of trading with stocks is restricted and not absolute. Initially, its contracts contain risks, and very probably, Riba (interest and/or usury). Again, those who deal in this kind of trade do not take into account the Sharee’ah rulings regulating such transactions. They do not even know these rulings nor do they pay any attention to them. In addition, most of the companies involved in stock markets are international companies that base their dealings on Riba in all its forms. Some of these companies include in their activities forbidden dealings, such as selling alcohol, pork, or musical instruments…. etc. So, the Muslim should be very careful when dealing in stock exchange and in similar modern markets.

As for your question, we would like you to know that working in any way with banks that were initially founded on Riba and designed to deal in it is unlawful according to the Sharee’ah. The reason for this is that you will mix your money with forbidden earnings, or at least, you will help these people in Riba, hence in transgression.

Allah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.} [Quran 2:278-279]

Allah also Says (what means): {…. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.} [Quran 5:2]

So, if the bank you are dealing with is like those we described earlier, then you should give up this whole operation and fear Allah. Look for a place that limit its transactions to lawful means above all. You said that you are working through the Internet so you can contact companies everywhere in the world.

Know that one of the first things Allah will ask you about on the Day of Judgement is your money; how you earned it and on what you spent it.

Abu Barzah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Every person will remain standing on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about his life and how he spent it; his knowledge and how he used it; his wealth and how he collected it and on what he spent it; and about his body and what he did with it.” [At-Tirmithi]

So, if you find a trustworthy party, you may do the same work with them and leave a percentage of what you earn with them to add to their money to deal with. They could then give you an agreed upon percentage of the profit.

Allah knows best.

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