Question:

I have a question about my job. I am a jewellery designer and I currently remotely work for a company in the USA. I design pieces for a company and when they are made, they are sent to celebrities for PR and marketing. There have been a few celebrities that have worn the pieces that I have designed therefore it has brought increased notoriety and sales to the brand I am working for. I would like to know if my source of income is halal? Can I continue working for this company? (it is a great company that has helped me with an opportunity) I would also like to know if it is ok for me to post pictures of celebrities wearing pieces that I designed on my social media. When I start my own brand Insha’Allah is it ok for me to do marketing and PR like this?

I would also like to note, I am not the owner of the company, I just get paid for the sale of each piece of jewellery.

Answer:

The income is halal, as you are working to design the jewellery and it complies with the Islamic laws of business. God says in the Quran, ‘Allah has made business halal.’ (Al-Baqarah: 275)

‘وأحل الله البيع’

If you abide by certain principles then your income is halal. As you design the product, your responsibility is with making the product, your duty is not related to who wears it or not. e.g. it is allowed for a person to sell grapes, now if the buyer uses grape for juices or anything else this is not the responsibility of the buyer. Also, the buyer doesn’t get any sin in regards to what the customer does.

With regards to starting your own company, that’s a great idea. However, marketing your jewellery on social media using photos that are in appropriate in Sharia is not allowed.

And Allah knows best.

Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari
Director of British Fatwa Council