I’ve spoken with hundreds of Muslims working in tech, and one question keeps coming up over and over: “My job is in a bank’s IT department. Is this okay?”

You’re not alone in asking this. Many Muslims face this exact situation. You’ve been offered a good salary, security, and career growth at a financial institution. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re wondering: am I supporting something that goes against my faith?

Here’s what I want you to understand: This isn’t a simple yes-or-no question. The answer depends on your specific job, your local circumstances, and your intentions. Let me break this down clearly.

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Understanding the Core Issue: What Does Islam Actually Say About Interest?

Before we talk about your software engineering job, we need to understand what the real problem is.

In Islam, there’s something called riba. This word means “interest” or “usury.” The Quran is very clear about this. Allah says that those who deal in riba won’t succeed, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was strict about this.

But here’s where it gets important: The curse in the Prophet’s teachings is specifically directed at four types of people:

1. The person who lends money and charges interest
2. The person who borrows and accepts the interest
3. The person who writes the interest contract
4. The witnesses who testify to the interest transaction

Notice something? A software engineer building the bank’s internal systems isn’t explicitly mentioned in this list.

However—and this is crucial—many Islamic scholars say that working in a bank system means you’re supporting the entire interest-based operation. You’re part of the infrastructure that makes riba happen.

Different scholars have different opinions on this, and I’ll explain those opinions honestly below.

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The Two Main Islamic Scholarly Views on Bank Employment

The Strict View (Conservative Interpretation)

Many respected scholars, particularly from the Deoband tradition and other conservative schools, say:

Working in any bank job is not permissible, period.

Here’s their reasoning:

• Banks survive entirely because of interest income
• Your salary comes from interest-based profits
• By working there, you’re helping the system function
• You’re indirectly supporting a practice that Allah has forbidden
• The Quran says: “Do not help one another in sin and evil doing”

The Darul Uloom Deoband, one of the most respected Islamic seminaries in the world, has issued clear fatwas (religious rulings) stating that bank employment is impermissible. Their position is that even non-banking roles like security guards or IT workers are problematic because they’re part of the forbidden system.

Mufti Waseem Khan, a recognized Islamic scholar, explains that bank salaries are largely or entirely derived from interest income. Since the majority of the bank’s profits come from riba, your salary—even if you’re not directly handling loans—is essentially interest money.

The Moderate View (Conditional Interpretation)

Other equally respected scholars offer a different perspective:

It’s permissible to work in a bank IF your specific job duties don’t involve directly facilitating interest transactions.

Their logic:

• Your job as a software engineer doesn’t require you to create interest contracts
• You’re not directly involved in lending decisions or interest calculations
• Your work (maintaining systems, writing code, fixing bugs) would be the same if the bank operated differently
• The prohibition specifically targets those who facilitate riba, not everyone in the building
• Not all bank income comes from riba—fees, service charges, and investments are also sources

Professor Monzer Kahf, a respected Islamic Finance scholar, states in a formal fatwa: “It is permissible to work in any department in a conventional bank as long as you do not prepare any interest-based contracts or sign them on behalf of the bank.”

This view distinguishes between your job and your employer’s business. Your software engineering is lawful work. The salary issue is more nuanced—some scholars say that if the majority of income is still interest-based, your salary remains problematic, while others argue that mixed income can be acceptable if your role isn’t directly facilitating haram.

The Necessity View (Pragmatic Interpretation)

A third perspective recognizes real-world constraints:

In cases of genuine need and where no Islamic alternatives exist, working in a bank may be temporarily permissible.

This is based on the Islamic principle of “darura” (dire necessity). The Quran states: “Whoever is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience or transgression, there is no sin upon him” (2:173).

Under this principle:

• If you have no other job options and your family depends on your income, necessity may excuse you—temporarily
• You should actively search for alternative employment
• You should avoid roles directly handling interest
• You should plan your exit from this situation

This view is particularly relevant for Muslims in Western countries where Islamic finance opportunities are limited, and where unemployment can lead to genuine hardship.

Read more: Best Islamic Podcasts in 2025 for Motivation (English)

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Pro Tip: The Three Questions You Must Ask Yourself

Before accepting or continuing a bank job, I want you to honestly answer these three questions:

Question 1: What exactly does your job entail?

• Are you writing code that processes interest calculations?
• Are you building systems that facilitate loan approvals?
• Are you managing data for credit card operations?
• Or are you doing general IT work (server maintenance, security, internal tools) that would be the same at any company?

Question 2: Are there realistic alternatives available to you?

• Can you find work at an Islamic bank or Islamic fintech company?
• Are there other tech companies hiring in your area?
• Could you work remotely for an Islamic finance company?
• Is relocation possible?

Question 3: What’s your intention (niyyah)?

• Are you actively planning to transition to a halal job?
• Or are you ignoring the issue and just accepting the high salary?
• Are you using temporary necessity as an excuse for permanent acceptance?

Your honest answers to these questions will guide your decision.

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The Deoband Position: What They Actually Say About IT Workers

Since you asked specifically about Deoband Fiqah, let me be direct about their position.

Darul Uloom Deoband’s official stance is clear: Working in a bank, even in technical roles, is not permissible.

They reason:

1. Banks exist primarily for interest-based lending
2. All employees are part of this forbidden system
3. Salaries are paid from interest profits
4. There is no meaningful distinction between a teller and an IT worker—both support the interest-based operation

A fatwa from Darul Iftaa Deoband states: “If you have to record interest-based calculation, then it is not lawful. A Muslim should avoid it.”

They acknowledge that roles like a peon or guard might have less direct involvement, but they still don’t recommend these positions.

However—and this is important—Deoband scholars also recognize the principle of necessity. If you’re in a situation where:

• You have dependents
• You cannot find other work
• Your family faces hardship without this income

…then temporary employment while searching for alternatives may be excused. But it should not be permanent, and you should be actively working toward a transition.

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Step-by-Step: What to Do Right Now

Step 1: Honestly Assess Your Exact Role

I know this sounds obvious, but most people don’t actually do this. They’re vague about what they do.

Sit down and write out, in detail, what your job actually involves.

• Do you write code that directly processes interest transactions?
• Do you work on systems designed to calculate or charge interest?
• Or do you work on general banking infrastructure (email systems, HR databases, security systems)?

Be honest. Don’t minimize or exaggerate.

Why this matters: A software engineer writing the core interest-calculation engine faces a different situation than an engineer maintaining the company’s internal HR system.

Step 2: Research Islamic Finance Alternatives

You might think there are no alternatives. But there actually are.

In the USA and Western countries:

• Islamic banks and Islamic divisions of conventional banks are operating (First Security Islamic Finance, Guidance Residential, etc.)
• Islamic fintech companies are hiring (many startups in London, Dubai, Malaysia focus on Shariah-compliant financial tech)
• Islamic finance consulting firms that provide Shariah advisory services
• Other companies that need your tech skills (healthcare, education, non-profits, tech startups)

Start researching now. Check LinkedIn for roles. Look at Islamic finance job boards.

Step 3: Evaluate Your True Financial Situation

Be realistic about what you need.

Do you actually need this specific job, or do you want the higher salary?

These are different questions:

• If you truly need it (supporting dependents, high cost of living, no other options), the necessity principle might apply
• If you want the prestige, better salary, or easier job, that’s not necessity—that’s preference

Calculate: Could you realistically live on a lower salary in a halal job? Could you relocate? Could you work remotely?

Step 4: Make an Active Plan

If you’re going to work in a bank, it should be temporary.

Create a plan with a timeline:

• Give yourself 6-12 months to find something else
• Use this time to upskill in Islamic finance
• Network with Islamic finance professionals
• Save extra money to cushion a potential pay cut
• Research relocation options

Write this plan down. Make it real.

Step 5: Seek Scholarly Guidance

Don’t just rely on what I’ve written here.

Contact:

• A trusted local Islamic scholar or imam
• Online fatwa services like SeekersGuidance, IslamQA (Deoband section), or your local Islamic center
• Islamic finance advisors who understand your specific situation

Explain your exact circumstances. Different scholars may offer different guidance based on your location and options.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: “I’ll Just Donate My Salary to Charity”

Many people think: “I’ll work at the bank, but I’ll give all my money to charity. Then it won’t be haram.”

This doesn’t work. Here’s why:

The issue isn’t what you do with the money afterward—it’s where the money came from in the first place. If your salary is derived from interest, it remains interest money. Donating it doesn’t change its source.

It’s like taking stolen money and giving it to a poor person. The poor person benefits, but you’ve still engaged in theft.

Mistake #2: “Everyone Else Is Doing It, So It Must Be Okay”

I see this constantly. A person works at a bank and says: “But there are other Muslims working here too. The imam came to the office iftar. Surely if it was really forbidden, we wouldn’t all be doing this.”

The popularity of something doesn’t make it permissible. Many Muslims work in conventional finance. That doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.

Be brave enough to be different.

Mistake #3: “I’ll Transition Later”

This is the slowest killer.

“Later” never comes. You’ll get comfortable. You’ll get promoted. You’ll take on more responsibility. Before you know it, you’ve been there 5, 10, 20 years.

If you’re going to transition, start now. Not next year. Not when you get that promotion.

Mistake #4: “The Job Doesn’t Directly Handle Interest”

Yes, maybe you don’t personally write an interest contract. But be real about what your job supports.

If you’re building:

• Loan processing systems
• Interest calculation engines
• Credit card management platforms
• Mortgage approval workflows

…you are directly facilitating interest transactions, even if you’re not handling customer money.

This is especially true for software engineers. You’re not a teller. You’re part of the core technical infrastructure that makes the interest system work.

Mistake #5: “Islamic Banks Might Have Issues Too”

Some people say: “Well, even Islamic banks might compromise. So why is a conventional bank worse?”

This is true—Islamic banks aren’t perfect. But here’s the difference:

• Islamic banks are designed to operate without riba. Their foundation is Shariah-compliant.
• Conventional banks are designed around interest. It’s their core business.
• Working at an Islamic bank means working toward a principle, even if implementation is flawed.
• Working at a conventional bank means supporting the entire interest-based system.

Imperfect good is still better than prohibited.

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Real Examples: What Different Jobs Actually Mean

Example 1: Building the Loan Management System

Your job: You’re a software engineer working on the system that processes loan applications and calculates interest charges.

Assessment: This is clearly problematic.

You’re directly building the tools that make interest-based lending possible. Your code is calculating interest. Your system approves loans based on interest terms.

Even if you’re not creating the interest rates, you’re engineering the system that implements them.

Recommendation: If you’re in this role, you should prioritize transitioning out. This is not a gray area.

Example 2: Writing Code for the Internal Email System

Your job: You’re a software engineer maintaining and upgrading the bank’s internal email and communication systems.

Assessment: This is more debatable.

This system would exist at any company—bank, hospital, tech firm, whatever. The email system itself isn’t facilitating interest transactions. It’s just general business infrastructure.

However, the money paying for your work does come from interest profits. And you are supporting the bank’s operations.

Recommendation: This is closer to acceptable, especially under necessity, but still not ideal. The preference should be to move to a company whose core business isn’t interest-based.

Example 3: Working for an IT Services Company That Serves Banks

Your job: You work for TechCorp, a software company that creates banking software. Some of TechCorp’s clients are banks.

Assessment: This depends on a few things:

• What percentage of TechCorp’s business is banking-related?
• Is TechCorp primarily focused on enabling interest transactions?
• Does TechCorp serve other industries too?

If TechCorp is 100% dedicated to building interest calculation systems, it’s essentially the same as working for a bank.

If TechCorp is a general software company that happens to have banks as clients, and you’re doing general software work that could apply to any client, it’s less problematic.

Recommendation: Evaluate TechCorp’s actual purpose. If they exist primarily to enable riba in banks, move away. If they’re a general tech company, it’s more acceptable.

Example 4: Working as a Security Guard at a Bank

Your job: You’re a security guard checking people in and out of the bank building.

Assessment: This is the least directly involved role.

You’re not facilitating interest. You’re providing security. The same work would be needed at any secure facility.

Recommendation: Most scholars consider this more permissible than other bank roles, though the Deoband position is still cautious. Under necessity, this would likely be acceptable to most scholars.

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The Real Path Forward: Your Options

Option 1: Work in Islamic Finance

This is the best option if possible.

What it involves:

• Islamic banks (growing rapidly)
• Islamic fintech companies (huge growth area)
• Takaful companies (Islamic insurance)
• Islamic investment advisory firms
• Shariah advisory services

Salary potential: Often competitive with conventional finance
Career growth: Excellent—this is a growing industry
Geographic options: Dubai, Malaysia, London, Pakistan, and increasingly in the USA

How to start:

• Look for jobs on IslamicFinanceGuru.com, LinkedIn (search “Islamic finance” + your location)
• Consider a certification in Islamic finance to strengthen your profile
• Network with Islamic finance professionals

Option 2: Tech Jobs Outside Finance Entirely

Honestly, why stay in finance at all if you’re uncomfortable?

Growing tech opportunities:

• Healthcare technology
• Education technology
• Non-profit organizations
• Government tech roles
• E-commerce
• Green technology and sustainability
• Software startups in general

Reality check: You might take a pay cut initially. But many tech roles pay very well.

Option 3: Transition Gradually

If you’re in a real necessity situation (dependents, no jobs available, high cost of living):

Short-term (0-6 months):

• Stay in your current role
• Actively search for alternatives
• Start upskilling in Islamic finance or other fields
• Network like crazy

Medium-term (6-12 months):

• Make the move if you find something
• Be willing to accept a slightly lower salary
• Consider relocation for the right opportunity

Long-term goal:

• Get out of the interest-based finance system entirely
• Build a career aligned with your values

Option 4: Remote Work for an Islamic Company

This is increasingly viable.

Many Islamic fintech companies and Islamic banks hire remote workers globally. Your US salary + living costs might actually make remote work for a Dubai company quite feasible.

Check:

• IslamicFinanceGuru.com job board
• LinkedIn for remote positions
• Islamic finance company websites (check their careers pages)

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FAQ: Answers to Questions You’re Actually Asking

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Final Conclusion: What You Should Actually Do Right Now

Here’s my honest summary:

The conservative Islamic position (which Deoband holds) is that working in a conventional bank is not ideal, even in non-front-line roles. Many scholars say it’s not permissible at all.

The moderate Islamic position is that it depends on your specific role. If you’re not directly facilitating interest, it might be acceptable, especially under necessity.

The practical reality is that many Muslims work in banks, and this isn’t a clear-cut issue where everyone agrees.

But here’s what matters:

You asked this question, which means your conscience is bothering you. That’s important. Don’t ignore that feeling.

Even if some scholars say it might be acceptable, the weight of scholarly opinion leans toward avoiding it.

So what should you do?

1. Be honest about your exact role. Are you directly facilitating interest transactions? Be real about this.
2. Evaluate your true necessity. Is this job genuinely necessary for survival, or are you just comfortable? These are different.
3. Commit to a real timeline. If you’re going to stay, give yourself 6-12 months to find something else. Not vague. Not “eventually.” A real deadline.
4. Start taking action now. Don’t wait. Research Islamic finance. Apply for other jobs. Network. Upskill.
5. Seek guidance. Talk to a trusted Islamic scholar or imam who understands your specific situation.
6. Remember: Allah has promised that those who seek lawful income while being sincere will be provided for. “Whoever fears Allah—He will make for him a way out” (Quran 65:2).

The goal isn’t to judge yourself harshly if you’re currently in this situation. The goal is to move toward alignment with your values.