Question

I currently work as a HR professional and have been searching for a new role for sometime. I have been approached by a recruitment agency with regards to a potential new role. This role is a senior role to what I am currently doing. The title is HR Business Partner for a car finance company. My responsibilities would include talent management, delving into Employee Value Proposition, recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, stake holder management and any change management. This role will be a hybrid role to work from home which I felt was appropriate as I would not be required to travel outside of the Shari boundaries for a female travelling alone. However, my concern is that whilst I will not have direct involvement in this, the business operates as a loan company (not a broker) allowing members of the public to in essence, borrow money (with interest) to purchase vehicles. The company is known as ‘Oodle Car Finance’ and the amount of interest applied would be in accordance to the results of an individuals credit rating. Hypothetically, if I were to be employed by this business, I would have no involvement with the day to day operations of the business, or witness any finance deals. My question is, based on the nature of the business and the suggested role, would it be permissible to work for this organisation?

Answer

If the tasks you are required to carry out are permissible from an Islamic perspective then it will be permissible though disliked for you to take on this role, provided that your wage falls within the percentage of lawful income of the company.

As you are being employed by a finance company, the company will have earnings from unlawful sources such as interest, however, they may also have some earnings from lawful sources. If for example the percentage of the company’s lawful income is 10% and your wage falls within that percentage then it will be permissible for you to work there. However, it will be disliked due to the impermissible dealings of the company. Even though the tasks you are carrying out are permissible in of themselves, they are effectively supporting the finance business which is engaging in unlawful transactions.

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

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