From Advertisement to Islamic Banking

Question:
I am dissatisfied with my current job. The salary and learning opportunities at the company are good, but being in Brand Management involves making many decisions that I am no more comfortable with, insofar as their compliance with the Shariah is concerned (for example: advertising). I am sure you are aware of the pros and cons of advertising. There is a degree of dishonesty involved et cetera. Hence, I am thinking of finding a job that is more satisfactory. But I also don’t want to compromise so much on my salary.

The option that stands out for me is working for an Islamic Bank. Although I am much more comfortable in Marketing than in Finance, I feel that the time may have come for me to quit the former.

I also feel that it is a career that has a good future, not to mention the satisfaction that I will get from working in an environment where Allah might be happy with me. (I will get extra kicks from trying to eradicate Riba).

My reservations are that people say that Islamic banking is an eyewash. At the end of the day, they are also paying out interest. But I say to them that at least its a first step in creating the awareness amongst people that there is something wrong in the current system and it must change.

Please guide me.

Response:
A pre-requisite for all our actions must be a conscious effort to decipher the right from the wrong. One must attempt to stay away from everything and anything that may cause displeasure to one’s Creator.

I agree that there are many aspects to advertising that are unacceptable to Islam; advertising, in itself, is not wrong, but the manner in which it is pursued today, make it more and more obscene and vulgar. Direct involvement in add creations etc. make you a part of the evil campaign.

With Islamic Banking, first up, the decision has to be yours and it has to be sincere. Are you convinced that what will be offered there will, in fact, be Islamically correct? People are generally in the habit of passing remarks and sweeping statements, without actually looking into the issues, technicalities and modalities involved. Same is the case with their opinions on Islamic banking. You first need to understand what exactly and accurately Riba is, then scrutinize the relevant modalities and transactions; if these do strike as opposed to what Riba is, then most certainly, they should be criticized. However, the people involved in Islamic Banking should not be condemned. For all we know, we should accept their efforts as sincere, and not ones aimed at confusing and deceiving people. You need to form your own, independent and unbiased opinion.

My own understanding is that some part of the Islamic Banking that is being conducted today is most certainly legitimate; some part, to me, is not acceptable as yet. But I do know that many of the people involved in these efforts are sincere, and that there are differences of opinion regarding the exact, technical definition of what constitutes Riba and what doesn’t.

So, if you would like to be a part of Islamic Banking, I would recommend you to first clarify and be at peace with your understanding of Riba, then consider the transactions, contracts etc. being conducted by the bank(s) you seek to approach; if what you find is, by and large acceptable to, and the persons involved come as sincere to you, then most certainly, seek a job there.

The idea is not to do anything clearly wrong, unless you are forced by circumstances, and you are left with no better options. But if alternatives are there, then nothing should stop you from approaching them.

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