Seeking Guidance on M&A Roles and Islamic Finance

Everyday Islamic Finance Business and Career Questions
#1

السلام عليكم

Praise be to Allah.

I have some questions regarding M&A and finance as a career in general. I understand that a similar question has been answered before, but my questions are a bit more specific

The hadith in Muslim (1598) narrated that Jaabir said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who pays it, the one who writes it down and the two who witness it, and he said: they are all the same.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم آكِلَ الرِّبَا وَمُوكِلَهُ وَكَاتِبَهُ وَشَاهِدَيْهِ وَقَالَ هُمْ سَوَاءٌ

My questions are as follows:

  1. If someone working in an investment bank, specifically in Mergers & Acquisitions, is responsible for calculating a company’s valuation and analyzing the impact of debt at specific interest rates on the business’s value, then communicating these findings to clients, does this person fall under the category of witnessing or documenting riba?

  2. If the work described in the first question is considered haram due to involvement in riba, is there flexibility in Sharia for someone to work in this role for a short period (less than 5 years) to gain relevant experience, with the intention of moving into Islamic finance later?

  3. Is it flawed reasoning to stay in a potentially haram job for the sake of gaining experience to transition into Islamic finance? Should the person instead seek a permissible job that requires similar skills, like management consulting, even if it means potentially lacking the specific finance skills needed for a future role in Islamic finance?

  4. What should someone do if their goal is to work in Islamic finance, but the only way to gain the necessary experience is through roles in conventional finance that may involve haram practices?

May Allah Azawajal bless the one who answers my question with which is good in this world and in the Hereafter that which is good.

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