Is It Permissible to Work for Amazon Web Services?
Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr
Question
Is it permissible to work for Amazon Web Services or accept funding from them, considering they provide halal services but have clients that include companies involved in haram activities?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Working for Amazon Web Services is permissible, provided that the Shari‘a does not prohibit your services and you are sure that the allowable service is not directly aiding an impermissible function.
Funding from them is also acceptable, although some of their clients may be involved in haram activities.
Valid Service
The service must have a recognized value in Shari’a that justifies spending wealth on it. It is only when a service lacks such value that it becomes impermissible. A lack of value may arise from the service being objectionable, insignificant, or excessively trivial [See: Shirbini, Mughni]
Medium
Not every means is construed as impermissible. Scholars agree that means are not considered when planting grapes, fearing that wine will be made from them, or living under one roof, fearing fornication or adultery.
Funding
Imam Suyuti states, “Dealing with a person whose money is largely derived from haram sources, when the haram portion is not identified in rem, is not considered haram according to the most reliable opinions (preferred view)”. [Suyuti, Ashbah]
It is, however crucial for you to reflect on your situation periodically and assess your position.
And with Allah alone is our success.
[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Mohammad Abu Bakr Badhib
Shaykh Muhammad Carr has dedicated his life to studying and transmitting our beautiful deen. His studies have taken him around the globe, where he has benefitted from many luminaries. Under the guidance of his teachers – Shaykh Taha Karan, Shaykh Yaseen Abbas, Shaykh Muadh Ali and many others – Shaykh Muhammad has grown to appreciate the beauty and benefits of diverse scholarship. He completed his memorization of the Qur’an at Dar al-Ulum Zakariyyah in September 1997 and received an Alimiyya Degree in 2006 from DUAI (Darul Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah). He is also affiliated with Masjid Auwal in Bo Kaap, Cape Town (the oldest mosque in South Africa), where he serves as a co-imam, and Dar Al-Safa, where he has taught since 2018. As a teacher, he imparts the wisdom of our heritage and tradition by opening the door for students. As an imam, he has the unique opportunity to serve his community in daily life.
In addition to his roles as a teacher and imam, Shaykh Muhammad Carr has contributed significantly to the administrative and advisory aspects of Islamic institutions. Since 2023, he has served as the Administrative Director at The Imam Kurani Institute, contributing to the institution’s growth and development. He continues to pursue traditional Islamic Sciences, possessing a keen interest in Islamic Contract Law and Finance. Shaykh Muhammad has been a Shari’ah Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.
