Question Summary:
Is it permissible for an accountant to work in a bank?

Question Detail:

I would like to query as to whether it is permissible (halaal) for an accountant to work in a bank? 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
There are 2 points to consider when working as an accountant:
 
i) Whether the accountant has direct involvement in the transactions or not.
 
No direct involvement: The nature of the job entails simply recording transactions which have already occurred.
 
Direct involvement: This may include things such as initiating, proposing or assisting directly in the interest based transaction.
 
ii) Is the major portion of the company haram or not?
 
Considering the 2 points above, if the job of accountant entails direct involvement in the interest based transaction or the major portion of the business is haram then it will not be permissible to work for such a company.
 
If the job of the accountant fulfils both criteria of having no direct involvement and the major portion of the business not being haram then it will be permissible to work for such a company.[1]
 
Considering the above it is not permissible to work for a bank since majority of its income is haram.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Mohammed Patel,
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.