Is Receiving Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) Permissible?

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad Carr

Question 

I have received a job offer from D-Wave Quantum, a company that develops quantum computing hardware and software. Its core business appears to be permissible.

However, according to the AAOIFI Shariah screening criteria used by Zoya, its stock is classified as non-Shariah-compliant due to excessive interest income.

Its recent financial statements show approximately $24.6 million in operating revenue and $24.1 million in interest income.

As part of my compensation package, I will receive approximately $56,000 in Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that will vest over four years.

Is it permissible for me to accept these RSUs as part of my compensation? If so, should I sell the shares immediately upon vesting, and would I be required to purify any portion of the proceeds?

Answer

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

Thank you for your question. It is admirable that you seek to ensure that your income is permissible. And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make for him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect.’ [Quran, 65:2–3]

It is not permissible for you to receive Restricted Stock Units from D-Wave as part of your compensation, nor dispose thereof. These stocks represent impermissible income in the form of interest.

This financial income (interest) is generated from D-Wave’s consolidated cash and marketable investment securities. As of March 31, 2026, D-Wave’s consolidated cash and marketable investment securities balance totaled $588.4 million, which takes the impermissible income way above the 5% threshold established by AAOIFI.

Finance income in D-Wave appears to be a conscious business decision. Companies that state in their memorandum of association or utilize interest-generating instruments as part of their business modus operandi are shari’a non-compliant. AAOIFI states, ‘3/4/1 That the corporation does not state in its memorandum of association that one of its objectives is to deal in interest, or in prohibited goods or materials like pork (swine) and the like’. [AAOIFI]

I appreciate that this may be disappointing, especially after receiving a job offer. If possible, consider asking your employer whether the Restricted Stock Units can be replaced with an equivalent cash payment or another form of compensation.

More importantly, remember that your career is defined not solely by its financial rewards but also by the good you can achieve through it.

Continue to place your trust in Allah, seek what is lawful, and know that no one leaves something for His sake except that He replaces it with something better.

I pray this is of benefit and Allah guides us all.

And Allah knows best.

[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 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.