Fatwa #339235 September 2015United States of America
Can I work as a software engineer in a financial software company?
Question
I hope in Allah you would be fine and in good health.
Alhamdulillah, I had/have been reading your responses/fatwas to questions most of time at askimam.org and it is always helpful and beneficial to lead life as per Islamic Shariah. May Allah reward you and your entire team and provide Jannatul Firdous to all, ameen.
Recently I have faced problem/issue. The company in which I'm working is being acquired by another company. Please find below detail and request to provide Islamic Shariah ruling to this problem.
I'm working as Software Engineer/Developer in a company named by SunGard. SunGard is financial software company (http://www.sungard.com/company/about-us and http://www.sungard.com/company/our-businesses). Within SunGard, there are different business units/financial sectors like Asset Management, Trading, Banking, Insurance, Capital Markets, Retirement Benefits (Pensions) and many more. I'm working in the US Retirement Benefits Business Sector like 401k Retirement Plan. Below are
links which provides information to it.
http://www.irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/401(k)-Plans
http://guides.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/what-is-a-401k/
http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/401k_401kplans.moneymag/
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/07/19/a-young-mans-guide-to-understanding-retirement-accounts-the-401k/
http://guides.wsj.com/personal-finance/retirement/what-is-a-401k/
http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/401k_401kplans.moneymag/
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/07/19/a-young-mans-guide-to-understanding-retirement-accounts-the-401k/
Questions/Problems:
The entire company "SunGard" is going to be acquire/purchase by another company "FIS" in next 2-3 months. FIS is Fidelity National Information Services centers on banking and payments technologies (http://www.fisglobal.com/aboutfisand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIS_(company). FIS Core business is Banking and Payment Business processes.
The entire company "SunGard" is going to be acquire/purchase by another company "FIS" in next 2-3 months. FIS is Fidelity National Information Services centers on banking and payments technologies (http://www.fisglobal.com/aboutfisand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIS_(company). FIS Core business is Banking and Payment Business processes.
1. Is it allow to continue working in this NEW company "FIS" ?
2. If it is not allowed to work in FIS then can I work in existing SunGard company until new company acquired SunGard completely which will take 2-3 months and leave the company when this deal is finished?
2. If it is not allowed to work in FIS then can I work in existing SunGard company until new company acquired SunGard completely which will take 2-3 months and leave the company when this deal is finished?
Jazakallahu Khairun
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In order for us to advise you, kindly explain your job profile as a software engineer. What exactly will and can the software be used for?
Email your response to the Darul-Iftaa: admin@daruliftaa.net
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Safwaan Ibn Ml Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim
Student Darul Iftaa
Limbe, Malawi
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.