Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan,

I am a student who will be completing my BSc in Business in june 2008, insha Allah. I would like to pursue my career in Islamic Banking. I would like to know if its ok(islamically) to pursue a career in Islamic Banking. I am planning to do my masters in it. Please advice me if i am making a wrong move. Thank you very much.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Pursue career in Islamic banking

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Respected brother, you are obviously well within your rights to pursue a career in ‘Islamic Finance’, just as you are well within your rights to pursue your studies or your career in any field which is not specifically declared as ‘haraam’ or unlawful by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.1 Narrated by Umar bin Al Khattab

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."

If your intention to pursue your studies or your career in ‘Islamic Finance’ is only because it is lucrative, or has good job opportunities, or for any other worldly reason….then your striving is for what you intended.

But if your intention to chose to pursue your studies and your career in ‘Islamic Banking’ is so that you may help even only one believer stay away from the abomination of ‘riba’ or interest which has been categorically declared as ‘haraam’ by Allah and His Messenger (saws)….or so that you may earn your livelihood from lawful sources….or that you may strive to further the Cause of Allah Subhanah and Islam….then in addition to all the worldly benefits which your career might bring, you will have a huge reward in the Presence of your Lord for your noble intentions, Insha Allah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan