Q: My job involves acquiring confidential information about competitors. For this we pay some external agencies to get us the information. We frame the questions and the external agency gets the answers to me. I analyze this information and send it to the strategy team. Is this job sharia compliant? Does it fall under preview of spying?
A. Spying has been prohibited in the Holy Qur'aan and Hadeeth. Such an occupation will certainly fall under the classification of spying because it entails acquiring 'confidential information' about competitors. If these companies come to know that such type of information has been acquired by you and divulged to others, they will take serious exception to this. This job, therefore, is not Shari'ah compliant. You should endeavour to find another job as soon as possible, though continue working there until you succeed. May Allah Ta'aala make it easy for you, Aameen.
Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked by: Mufti Siraj Desai