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Fatwa CenterHe avoided working in Riba-based companies for the Sake of Allaah
Question
Salam Aleikum, I am very confused regarding my career. I have recently completed my MBA (Master in Business Administration) in HR (Human Resource). Until recently, i realized that the job of a HR Executive in a corporate office in India entails two primary Haraam elements. 1. Writing, and recording Riba based transactions in the form of employee PF (Provident Fund) and Insurance Policies. 2. 'Creating' a mixed environment by recruiting both males and females in the same place. Apart from these, mixed environment is a common practice in all Indian corporate offices. Hence, for the reasons above, i have a become a management teacher in a mixed institute with a very low salary. Please let me know if my decision is right and is there any benefit of doing business in order to be 100% halal (although nothing can be 100% halal)
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Indeed, you did well by leaving your job that involves forbidden matters like Riba (interest and/or usury), commercial insurance and the like, because the sin of those transactions does not only fall on the person who undertakes them, but it also includes the one who writes it as the Prophet said: “Allaah has cursed the one who consumes Riba (i.e. usury or interest), the one who gives it to others, the one who records it and the one who witnesses it (its transaction).” He said: “All of them are equal in sin.” [Muslim]
As regards mixing between sexes at the work place and at schools and so forth without abiding by the Sharee’ah conditions that man and woman have to follow while dealing with each other, then this is evil, but if a person does not find a way to earn his daily bread and fulfill his necessities except by working at a mixed place, then he should abide by the Sharee’ah conditions when dealing with women and when being with them, like lowering his gaze, avoiding being in forbidden seclusion with one of them, and the like, and he should enjoin good and forbid evil according to his ability as Allaah does not burden a soul more than it can bear.
Moreover, there is no doubt that working as a teacher in a mixed environment is of lesser evil than your previous work where the Riba-based contracts are signed and approved, along with mixing in offices.
As regards investing money in business that will bring profits, then this is among the means of permissible investment and there is a blessing and provision (from Allaah) in trade, especially if the tradesman is truthful and avoids forbidden matters.
Finally, you should remember that whoever abandons something for the Sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better.
Allaah Knows best.
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