Working at a business which involves commercial insurance
28-9-2011 | IslamWeb
Question:
As-salamo Alikum Dear Brother/Sister I am aware that many of the insurance contracts are impermissible. However, Sometimes it become impossible to avoid such a contract. For example, my father asked me to join him in his trade business. He is basically an exporter. He agrees with avoiding insurance but sometimes he says that our 'Customer abroad' or 'Authorities' put insurance as a condition for movement of goods. My father is not following Islam correctly, I even left his sect. I joined him just because Sharia instructs me to obey him in matters which do not go against Allah(swt) and Prophet(pbuh). A major part of our business can be brought under shariah bounds but some issues would require time. The business has to repay alot of debts. If my father does not accept the insurance conditioned contract then he looses customer and profit which eventually implies low recovery and repayment of debts. I want guidance on this issue. Should I reject my father's demand of joining him because of my inability to tackle some out of bound trade issues like Insurance I mentioned above? Could I just accept a role in the business covering 'Production' of permissible goods? Will I be then classified as supporting in illegal trade since some of the contracts done do not require insurance but many of them do? does shariah give allowance in this case of mine for doing business with customer who put insurance as a condition - alot of other good can be achieved like dawah, inviting father to correct islam(winning him over), satisfying creditors and gradually bringing entire business within Sharia bounds. I request Islamweb to not to refer me to answer to similiar question. Islamweb has helped me alot over past couple of years on critical issues. I hope for the same this time as well. May Allah reward you all.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is permissible for you to work at your father’s business, but if he asks you to make any commercial insurance contacts, then it is not permissible for you to make it whether it is your father or the customer who asks you to do so, even if this refusal will lead you to quit this job.
The debts of the business or the potential benefits that may occur when you share the business with your father does not justify you making commercial insurance contracts.
Hence, you should advise your father to abide by Islam in all his matters, among which is his business and tell him that the blessings are in what is lawful, even if little, and not in what is unlawful, even if abundant.
Allaah Knows best.