Working for an insurance company

Dear Brothers & Sisters,
As-Salaamu-Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Is life insurance halaal or haraam? What is the ruling on those who work in companies offering life insurance?.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Check below answers in case you are looking for other related questions:

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

Life insurance is a kind of commercial insurance, which is haraam, because it involves uncertainty, riba and gambling, and consuming wealth unlawfully. It is not permissible to work in commercial insurance companies, because this is a kind of cooperating in sin, which Allaah has forbidden, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

See also question no. 8889

Secondly: 

There is nothing wrong with your keeping the money that you earned from working in that company before you came to know that it is haraam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribaa, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allaah (to judge)”

[al-Baqarah 2:275]

With regard to the money that you took from the company after you came to know that it is haraam, then you have to get rid of it, because it is haraam wealth, so you can spend it on charitable causes. 

See also questions no. 33852 and 2492

See Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 15/8. 

And Allaah knows best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah's Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Related Answers:

Recommended answers for you: