Important Guidelines for Product Designers(UX/UI) to ensure Halal Earnings
By: Md Rahat Hussein Khan
Tags: Halal, Business Ethics, Islamic Finance, Product Design, Ui Ux Design

As days go by, I am starting to see more people becoming aware of lawful earning sources and taking drastic measures to avoid what is not permissible in Islam.

Sharif Abu Hayat Opu (CMO of Shorobor — সরোবর) shared a wonderful story about an individual who gave up his well-established career in the traditional banking industry just for the sake of Allah. (Youtube link at the bottom).

Digital Product Design may seem like a perfect candidate for Halal Earnings, but when you dive deep into it, you are bound to find some objectionable matters that you need to stay away from.

Before you sign your next NDA and commit to a project, I hope you will refer to this list and decide whether it’s worth earning that huge amount of money that will do more harm than good in your life after death.

Industries/Businesses that you need to watch out for:

Finance

If you are designing a product for a business, that makes a profit based on interest, then you are definitely in the wrong place.

This means that designing web/mobile app UI for traditional banks should be avoided at all cost. The main reason behind it is that you are indirectly helping them with their records & calculation of interest.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) cursed the one who consumes riba(interest), the one who pays it, the one who writes it down and the two who witness it. He said they are all the same. [Saheeh Muslim 1598]

Insurance Companies

Conventional insurance involves Riba (interest), Gharar (uncertainty), and Maysir (gambling). It is not permissible to work for commercial insurance companies, because you are kind of cooperating in sins, which Allah has forbidden.

Sports

You should turn down projects that involve gambling/placing bets & predicting outcomes of a match (example Bet365, FPL, etc.).

Also stay away from designing interfaces for games like Chess, LudoStars, Poker (or any others that involve probability).

Food Delivery/Restaurants

If the business you are working for, delivers items like pork/alcoholic beverages, it is better for you to steer clear from getting involved in their product.

I acknowledge, there may be ikhtilaf(differences of opinion) regarding this matter. I would suggest talking to a Shaykh to get more detailed answers before taking on such projects.

Real Estate

There’s no problem designing an app where users can buy/sell/rent properties. The only troublesome feature is the ‘mortgage calculator’ which most real estate businesses want in their product.

A mortgage is an interest-based transaction that is based on a loan off your property.

You should let your client know beforehand that you will not be designing this feature and explain the rationales for your decision.

Music/Entertainment Industry

Music is a disease for the heart and it has bad effects that are quite obvious. I highly recommend not to associate yourself with products like music players, Spotify, SoundCloud, etc.

On the other hand, podcast/audiobook apps that include no elements of music may/may not fall in this category.

Dating Apps

I think it is pretty self-explanatory. Client inquiry regarding such products should be dealt with a straightforward “NO”.

Fashion Industry

Selling clothes & apparels is not prohibited in Islam, but you need to communicate clearly with your client about the contents that are going to be displayed on the website. If you are clever enough, do not use images of women in your mockups/landing pages so that you can protect yourself from the fitnah of the Shaytaan.