Question

I live in Bangladesh. I wanted to work in a company as an accountant or internal auditor where their main business is selling & purchasing products, but the company also takes loans & deposit money at the bank. So as an accountant or internal auditor, I have to calculating, chaging, posting entries of interest payment along with other halal transactions in that company.

So is it haram for me to work as an accountant or internal auditor in that type of company?
Please advise..

Answer

To work as an accountant is permissible. If a company engages in interest-based transactions, this will not render the role of the accountant impermissible. The reason for this is that an accountant is just recording transactions which have already taken place.

As for the prohibition of writing down and witnessing interest-based transactions, this prohibition applies to those cases where the individual’s role plays a primary function in the transaction, and without their role the transaction would not go ahead. For example, preparing interest-based contracts or signing such contracts. In such a case without these contracts the transaction would not take place, hence, being involved at this stage would be impermissible. However, if after the transaction has already taken place, if an accountant makes a note of what has already taken place that will not fall under this prohibition.

For this reason it will be permissible to work as an accountant provided that the accountant is not tasked with charging or pursuing interest payments.

As for taking a salary from such a company, if your wage falls within the lawful income of the company you would be permitted to take a wage.

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1219)

عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: «لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آكِلَ الرِّبَا، وَمُؤْكِلَهُ، وَكَاتِبَهُ، وَشَاهِدَيْهِ»، وَقَالَ: «هُمْ سَوَاءٌ»

شرح النووي على مسلم (11/ 26)

هذا تصريح بتحريم كتابة المبايعة بين المترابيين والشهادة عليهما وَفِيهِ تَحْرِيمُ الْإِعَانَةِ عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

إكمال إكمال المعلم للأبي 279:4

والمراد بالكاتب كاتب لوثيقة وبالشاهد المتحمل وان لم يردو في معناهما من حضر فاقره وانما سوى بينهم فى اللعنة لان العقد لم يتم الا بالمجموع

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel