Is My Job as an AI Engineer Halal if My Company Works with a Riba-Based NGO?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question

I work as an AI Engineer for a company that gathers data from the customers of client companies that partner with us. These client companies use the collected data to inform their policy decisions. Recently, my company has entered into a contract with an NGO that operates on a Riba-based system, and my role involves facilitating data collection through AI.

Is my job permissible, and is my income halal?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for ensuring that your services are per Islamic Law.

Allah (Most High) says,

“O you who believe, eat of the good things for that which We have faithfully provided; And give thanks to Allah if it is Him you worship.” [Quran, 2:172]

Balance

Gathering data as prescribed above is permissible, and your income is halal. Nothing in the question indicates that the data will necessarily be used for impermissible activities, and neither are you required to verify them. Allah (Most High) says,

“O you who believe! Do not ask about things that would distress you if made clear to you.” [Quran, 5:101]

If it becomes clear to you that the data is used for nefarious purposes, then it amounts to aiding in transgression. Allah (Most High) says,

“And cooperate in goodness and righteousness, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression. And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is severe in punishment.” [Quran, 5:2]

I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Muhammad Carr
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

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 to 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‘a Board Member for Islamic Asset Management & Insurance Companies since 2001, aligning financial practices with Islamic principles.