Salaam, I have a dilemma in regards to my current job. Basically I work as a data analyst for an insurance brokerage in the UK (for those who don't know an insurance brokerage arranges the purchase of commercial insurance for companies). My role involves providing data and quantitative reports about my company's performance (i.e. how many policies does it broker, how much premium, where those policies are located) and the performance of individual commercial insurers. The reports/data are provided internally to the insurance brokers or externally to the insurers. And generally these reports are either used to get an understanding of the current market position and/or improve performance. However, I have no decision making or advisory role. I only provide the data/reports and then it is up to the user as to how they use it.
Now, I understand that insurance is haraam and that the majority of scholars believe that working for an insurance company regardless of your role is haram too as this would be considered assisting in sin. So therefore my role according to most scholars would be considered haram.
However according to this video by islamicfinanceguru
(scroll to minute 41 onwards), Imam Abu Hanifah had a different view which stated that as long as your role itself is permissible, then you can work for a haram company (and this is the view that Mufti Faraz Adam from the video follows). So according to this view, I think my role would be permissible because all I am doing is providing data.
I also contacted a scholar who is experienced in islamic finance who also stated that my role is permissible since the data I am providing is the same type of data that I would provide if I was working in an islamic country.
I have now received a job offer to be a market research analyst for an oil consultancy, and from the job description, this role appears to definitely be permissible. However, I would have to move cities to take this role and long term it's not something I can see myself doing. If my current role was definitely halal, then I would prefer to stay in my current one.
So my issue is whether to stay in my current role where there is a doubt about the permissibility or accept the job offer but have to deal with negative impacts I've described. And I am looking to leave my current job anyway, as I want a job which is more interesting and 100% halal.
I do incline more towards the view of Imam Abu Hanifah but I am worried I will be sinful for following the minority opinion (I am a hanafi and I don't know whether it is allowed to follow a minority opinion).
Now, I understand that insurance is haraam and that the majority of scholars believe that working for an insurance company regardless of your role is haram too as this would be considered assisting in sin. So therefore my role according to most scholars would be considered haram.
However according to this video by islamicfinanceguru
I also contacted a scholar who is experienced in islamic finance who also stated that my role is permissible since the data I am providing is the same type of data that I would provide if I was working in an islamic country.
I have now received a job offer to be a market research analyst for an oil consultancy, and from the job description, this role appears to definitely be permissible. However, I would have to move cities to take this role and long term it's not something I can see myself doing. If my current role was definitely halal, then I would prefer to stay in my current one.
So my issue is whether to stay in my current role where there is a doubt about the permissibility or accept the job offer but have to deal with negative impacts I've described. And I am looking to leave my current job anyway, as I want a job which is more interesting and 100% halal.
I do incline more towards the view of Imam Abu Hanifah but I am worried I will be sinful for following the minority opinion (I am a hanafi and I don't know whether it is allowed to follow a minority opinion).