The following is an analysis of the Industries classificationfor the USA. Certain industries are clearly prohibited from theIslamic point of view. Others are questionable.
We will use the following from set of classification in the tablebelow:
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| Permissible | Most Muslims would agree that it is permissible |
| Prohibited | Most Muslims would agree that it is prohibited |
| Conditional | More research is needed (perhaps on the company level) to know what exactly the business is, before making a positive or negative decision. |
| Questionable | Opinion is divided over this, but leans more towards prohibition. It is best avoided by those wanting to be extra careful |
| Controversial | Opinion is divided over this, and there is no clear Yes/No |
| Other | See the comments |
| Industry | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace/Defense | Questionable | Aerospace on its own should be OK. However, defense products can kill people, and many would object to the morality of investing in such companies. |
| Agricultural Products | ||
| Air Freight | ||
| Airlines | ||
| Aluminum | Permissible | |
| Auto Parts & Equipment | Permissible | |
| Automobiles | Permissible | You need to be aware that major car manufacturers operate a Credit Corporation that finances purchases of its cars. You need to fig more into the company's financial reports and see for yourself what percentage this interest revenue contributes to overall income. |
| Banks-Major Regional | Prohibited | |
| Banks-Money Center | Prohibited | |
| Banks-Regional | Prohibited | |
| Beverages-Alcoholic | Prohibited | |
| Beverages-Non-Alcoholic | Permissible | |
| Biotechnology | Permissible | |
| Broadcasting | ||
| Building Materials | Permissible | |
| Chemicals | Permissible | |
| Chemicals-Diversified | Permissible | |
| Chemicals-Specialty | Permissible | Check what the speciality is, since it may or may not be . |
| Communications Equipment | Permissible | |
| Computers-Hardware | Permissible | |
| Computers-Networking | Permissible | |
| Computers-Peripherals | Permissible | |
| Computers-Software & Services | Permissible | |
| Construction-Cement & Aggregates | Permissible | |
| Consumer Finance | Prohibited | |
| Consumer-Jewelry | Permissible | |
| Containers-Metals & Glass | Permissible | |
| Containers-Paper | Permissible | |
| Distributors-Food & Heath | Permissible | |
| Electric Companies | Permissible | |
| Electrical Equipment | Permissible | |
| Electronics-Component Distributors | Permissible | |
| Electronics-Defense | Questionable | Defense products can kill people, and many would object to the morality of investing in such companies. |
| Electronics-Instrumentation | Permissible | |
| Electronics-Semiconductors | Permissible | |
| Engineering & Construction | Permissible | |
| Entertainment | Questionable | Of course, not every form of Entertainment is prohibited. However, in Western countries, entertainment includes Night Clubs, Bars, Adult Movies, Casinos, Gambling, and the like. Check what business the company is involved in before making your decision. |
| Equipment-Semiconductor | Permissible | |
| Financial-Diversifed | Prohibited | |
| Foods | Questionable | You have to check if your company engages in Pork and Pork products, as well as Alcoholic beverages. If they do not deal in this, it should be OK, otherwise, you have to see what percentage of these constitutes their income. |
| Footwear | Permissible | |
| Gaming, Lottery & Parimutuels Cos. | Prohibited | This is mostly gambling. |
| Gold & Precious Metals Mining | Permissibe | |
| Hardware & Tools | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Diversified | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Drugs | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Generic | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Hospital Management | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Long Term Care | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Managed Care | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Medical Products & Supplies | Permissibe | |
| Health Care-Specialized Services | Permissibe | You need to take a closer look on what thes specialized services are. |
| Homebuilding | Permissibe | |
| Household Furnishings & Appliances | Permissibe | |
| Household Products | Permissibe | |
| Housewares | Permissibe | |
| Insurance Brokers | ||
| Insurance-Life & Health | ||
| Insurance-Multi-Line | ||
| Insurance-Property-Casualty | ||
| Investment-Banking/Brokerage | ||
| Investment Management | ||
| Investments | ||
| Iron & Steel | Permissibe | |
| Land Development | Permissibe | |
| Leisure | Questionable | Check the details, since many Leisure comapnies operate Casinos, bars, gambling, and the like. |
| Lodging-Hotels | ? | |
| Machinery-Diversified | Permissibe | |
| Manufacturing-Diversified | Conditional | |
| Manufacturing-Specialized | Conditional | |
| Metal Fabricators | Permissible | |
| Metals Mining | Permissible | |
| Mutual Funds | Questionable | Check our Mutual Funds section for more details. |
| Natural Gas | Permissible | |
| Office Equipment & Supplies | Permissible | |
| Oil-Domestic Integrated | Permissible | |
| Oil-Drilling & Equipment | Permissible | |
| Oil-Exploration & Production | Permissible | |
| Oil-International Integrated | Permissible | |
| Oil-Refining & Marketing | Permissible | |
| Paper & Forest Products | Permissible | |
| Personal Care | ||
| Photography/Imaging | ||
| Power Producers-Independent | Permissible | |
| Publishing | Questionable | Publishing in itself is OK. However, some companies engage in publishing prohibited material (porn, adult, ...etc.) |
| Publishing-Newspapers | ||
| Railroads | Permissible | |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | ||
| Restaurants | Questionable | Because the vast majority of restaurants engage in Pork and Alcohol, they are better avoided altogether. |
| Retail-Apparel | ||
| Retail-Building Supplies | Permissible | |
| Retail-Computers & Electronics | Permissible | |
| Retail-Department Stores | Conditional | Check if they have a Liquor and Food section, or other prohibited merchandise. It is best to avoid those that have. |
| Retail-Discounters | Conditional | Check if they have a Liquor and Food section, or other prohibited merchandise. It is best to avoid those that have. |
| Retail-Drug Stores | ||
| Retail-Food Chains | Questionable | Because the vast majority of restaurants engage in Pork and Alcohol, they are better avoided altogether. |
| Retail-General Merchandise | Conditional | Check if they have a Liquor and Food section, or other prohibited merchandise. It is best to avoid those that have. |
| Retail-Home Shopping | ||
| Retail-Specialty | Conditional | Check what their specialty is. |
| Savings & Loan Companies | Prohibited | Involves interest. |
| Shipping | Permissible | |
| Specialty Printing | ||
| Services-Advertising | Questionable | Most advertisers involve "provocative" ads which has adult content. |
| Services-Commerical & Consumer | Permissible | |
| Services-Computer Systems | Permissible | |
| Services-Data Processing | Permissible | |
| Services-Employment | Permissible | |
| Services-Facility | Permissible | |
| Telecommunications-Cellular/Wireless | Permissible | |
| Telecommunications-Long Distance | Permissible | |
| Telephone | Permissible | |
| Textiles-Apparel | ||
| Textiles-Home Furnishings | Permissible | |
| Textiles-Specialty | Conditional | Depends on what the specialty is. |
| Tobacco | Prohibited | Most Muslims would agree that Tobacco is prohibited. Now with its effect on health undisputed, there is more reasons for its prohibition. |
| Trucks & Parts | Permissible | |
| Truckers | Permissible | |
| Waste Management | Permissible | |
| Water Utilities | Permissible |