Q: The West LB. Securities Pacific Ltd. Branch in Tokyo is a subsidiary of the Westdeutsche Landesbank which is the third largest German bank and which is one of the most important international finance and trade centers with branches in London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Moscow, Toronto, and Zurich. The bank offers its clients, inside and outside Germany, all the financial and investment services. (Part No. 15; Page No. 33) In Japan, the government regulations regarding the security system, article no. 65, bans banks from owning any businesses in the field of security bonds. Consequently, the West LB Securities Pacific Ltd. In Tokyo acquired a license to work as an independent body under the same name. It is totally independent from the bank services in Japan. This license makes the company carry out exactly the same work as other brokerage companies in Japan and makes it subject to the same rules they follow. The company will receive in return for its services the same commission fixed by the Japanese government from the investors. The transactions carried out in this company start by the investor transferring some of his money to be invested in the markets of Japan, Germany, London or all three of them at the same time through account no. 0546488 in the bank of Tokyo, Yurakucho branch under the following address: West LB Securities Pacific Ltd. Tokyo branch. The investor can grant the company full control to invest his money with its professional experience, and thus the company is able to purchase or sell stocks on his behalf based on the market fluctuations. The company may purchase stocks in other companies with (Part No. 15; Page No. 34) the amount of money transferred to it and report the details of every transaction the next day. In case the investor does not deputize the company, it carries out the transactions after taking his permission. If the investor wishes to withdraw his money, there will be no complications or delay. Once the company gets the request, it sells all the investor's stocks for the current market value and the amount is transferred to his account in less than a week. The company ensures its clients that it will not invest their money in the following fields: (i) Shares that involve Riba (usury) such as government bonds, convertible bonds, bail bonds and anything that deals in Riba. (ii) Shares in companies that manufacture or distribute Khamr (intoxicant). (iii) Shares in companies that deal in pork or its related industries. (iv) Shares that may lead to a risk or loss by knowing no commodity or delivery time. (v) Shares that involve any form of gambling. These conditions restrict the company to deal in present stocks. However, the company knows for sure that (Part No. 15; Page No. 35) the companies in whose shares it deals are located in non-Muslim communities, which means they may finance their projects by means of usurious loans from local and international banks. The whole matter can be summarized as follows: (i) The company does not deal with businesses or institutions that work in anything known to be Haram (prohibited). (ii) The company does not invest in the shares of companies that deal in Riba or any prohibited commodity. (iii) The department I work in does not deal in securities with usurious interests. (iv) The company does not totally adopt the Islamic approach in dealings, as it contains departments that deal in usurious securities and bonds, but the department I work in is specifically established for dealing in non-usurious securities. Based on the previous explanation, I present my questions to you, hoping to get a detailed answer about the ruling of Shari`ah (Islamic law) regarding them. My questions are: 1. Is this transaction (dealing in stocks) lawful and permissible? (Part No. 15; Page No. 36) 2. Is it permissible for a Muslim to work in a similar company, bearing in mind that it is difficult to find another job in such a community? 3. If this type of transaction is permissible and working for such a company is lawful, are there any restrictions? I hope you answer my questions in detail to be able to see everything clearly and decide what I will do. As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!)