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Fatwa CenterWorking as a financial planner for a company that deals with Riba
Question
Im palestinian, I immigrated to Australia 4 years ago after having hardship living in arab countries as a travel document holder. I gradued with Masters degree in commerce from here.i've been trying to work in accouting but couldnt the only thing i found a job in here within my degree is financial planning and advising which includes recommending the right loan and investing money for people in companies that deal with interest, althought people are non muslims. im now working in tobacco company, i will have a son soon inshalla and im 30 years old i need to start my life with a career within my degree and i feel that im forced to accept a job as a financial planner otherwise i will remain in a tobacco shop or maybe work as anything else but no future and if i go back to arab countries i wont even find a job or enough money cause no experience in my degree . The finaicl planning thing is my only choice . Pleae notice that i am forced to stay here for atleast one year to get my passport or 3 years more to get my wife a passport in this country and if i go back toi arab countries after 3 years i will be 33 years old with no experience and maybe inshalla 2 sons and my salary then wont be enough because i dont have any experience if i found an entry level job at an age of 33 which is hard. after all these conditions, can i work as a financial planner and then go back to the Gulf and work in an islamic bank or company ?
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.
First of all, we welcome you in our site and we thank you for visiting it.
You should know that Allaah has undertaken the provision of man and his children before He Created them, and He recorded their provision while they were still in the womb of their mothers. Allaah Has also undertaken the provision of animals. Allaah Says about man and his children (what means): {And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you.}[Quran 17:31] Allaah also Says (what means): {And so many a moving (living) creature there is, that carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. }[Quran 29:60]
You should know that if a person seeks lawful provision and refrains from ill-gotten income or an income which is doubtful, then Allaah will compensate him with something better and opens for him many doors of blessings and goodness, and facilitates his affairs. Allaah Says (what means): {And whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out from every difficulty. And He will provide him from sources he never could imagine.}[Quran 65: 2-3] Allaah also Says (what means): {And whoever fears Allaah -- He will make for him of his matter ease.}[Quran 65:4]
Furthermore, the Prophet said: "If you abandon something for the sake of Allaah [because of it being forbidden], Allaah will compensate you with something better than it." [Ahmad]
Therefore, guiding customers to forbidden transactions is forbidden even if they are non-Muslims because this is helping in sin; even the non-Muslims are commanded to stay away from forbidden things, hence it is not permissible to help them or advise them in doing so. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 85569.
Based on the above, if you are able to do your job without advising the customers to Riba based transactions (interest and usury), then you may continue doing this job and leave the tobacco company.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 84634. Tobacco is forbidden for many reasons, one of which is the harm that it causes, and this is something confirmed by the doctors.
Otherwise you should leave both jobs and seek a job which does not involve a religious prohibition. If you are unable to find a job and you are truly in a dire necessity to work, then working as a financial advisor is better than working in the tobacco company, and keep in mind that Allaah is always watching us and knows what is hidden within ourselves and knows our needs.
Allaah Knows best.
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