It is impermissible to work in market research related to prohibited goods or services

14-6-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Asalaam aleykumThere is a job where you work as a market researcher. Where you interview people by phone about there opinions. It is a so called feasibility study for future sales project. It examines peoples opinions about for xample telephony, the fashion industry etc. If I'm working with market research that might be a help for future sales in different industries for exampel fashion, but without selling anything, just researching, is my job then halal, or is like i am contributing or helping in sin, if these Companys or industries are involved in sin?Barak' Allahu feek.Asaalaam aleykum

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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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

What has to be considered is whether or not the subject of your research (i.e. the goods or service) are permissible in Islam. If it is permissible in Islam, there is no blame in it. If not, then it is not permissible to do anything that helps market it or increase its sales, or the like, even if you do not directly sell that product, as Allaah says (what means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.} [Quran 5:2]

Endeavoring to marketing a product and guiding people to it consists in helping its sale and purchase, so it is included in the prohibition as indicated in the verse.

Allaah Knows best.