I have a question regarding doing a job in a company which is in boycott list. E.g. Coke, Nestle.
Scenario – A company is offering a position where one can fulfill his financial requirements as well as offer a vehicle, which will help him to get out of auto loan as well. But that company is on the boycott list, which supports genocide.
What should one do as Muslim in this scenario
Also, ruling of working as a realtor, as most of the deals are done through commercial banks
Or working in a tobacco company? Please advise
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
Our general stance on boycotting has been previously addressed here:
https://qna.ilmhub.com/question/boycott-businesses-which-are-supporting-oppressors/
Your question refers whether a person should choose to work in a company on the boycott list or work as a realtor.
We shall assume that the job at the company which is on the boycott list is in itself halal suitable.
Realtor’s Job
If the job description of the realtor includes direct involvement in a sinful activity then the income from such a job will not be halal as well. Hence, if the realtor facilitates or originates the interest based mortgage deals, then this will be a sinful activity.
However, if the realtor merely acts as an intermediary between buyer and seller wherein he does not actively originates the mortgage transaction, rather relays the documentation to the originator, then this action does not come under the sinful transaction. Such a job will be halal suitable.
In the scenario mentioned in the question, ideally one should look for a job wherein one will not be engaging in any form of shar’i restriction, even if the income if halal in on itself.
However, if one only has these limited option wherein one job despite having halal income happens to be on a boycott list, while another is a certain involvement in sinful activity, then one should adopt the one with halal income.
However, if on either side the income happens to be halal suitable, then one should opt for that which seems more closer to taqwa to oneself. If this means skipping over the boycotted company in favor of realtor position wherein one’s connection with interest based transaction will be far, then that would be best.
Nonetheless, one should maintain seeking Allah’s istighfar and keep an eye out for career which is not only Halal but Wholesome (Tayyab) as well.
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi