Twenty Islamic scholars have issued a fatwa saying that it is haraam to work for arms companies such as BAE and Elbit Systems which supply the Israeli army.
In response to a question which asked if it is permissible to work for companies such as BAE Systems and Elbit Systems, the scholars stated: “It is not permissible to work for an arms company that manufactures and supplies arms which are used to kill innocent people.”
The fatwa was based on the following evidences from the Quran and Sunnah:
Allah the Almighty said: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Quran)
And He the Almighty said: “Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and support in your expulsion – that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them – then those are the wrongdoers.” (Quran)
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by Muslim)
And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, we help him if he is oppressed, but how can we help him if he is an oppressor?” He said: “Take control of his hands.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
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The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Do not envy one another, do not outbid one another, do not hate one another, do not turn your backs on one another, and do not undercut one another. Be, O servants of Allah, brothers. A Muslim is a brother to a Muslim. He does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he look down on him. Piety is here,” and he pointed to his chest three times. “It is enough evil for a man to look down on his Muslim brother. Everything of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth, and his honour.” (Narrated by Muslim)
This answer was endorsed by the following muftis:
Mufti Shabbir Ahmad, Mufti Umar Farooq, Mufti Ikramul Haq, Mufti Musa Badat, Mufti Muhammad Tahir, Mufti Ibrahim Raja, Mufti Muhammad Saleem, Mufti Muhammad Salih, Mufti Saiful Islam, Mufti Zakaria Akudi, Mufti Javid Pathan, Mufti Zubair Dudha, Mufti Muhammad Aslam Wadiwala, Mufti Sajid Patel, Mufti Amjad Mohammed, Mufti Ismail Satia, Mufti Abdul Waheed, Mufti Asmar Muhammad, Mufti Sajid Badat and Mufti Numaan Abdul Rahim.
BAE and Elbit Systems
BAE Systems supplies arms to Israel primarily through components for military equipment.
The company is a major partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, producing about 15% of each F-35 aircraft, including the rear fuselage and other key components.
BAE also supplies components for Israel’s F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, such as head-up/down displays and electronic missile-launching kits, often routed through the U.S. via the Foreign Military Financing program.
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Additionally, BAE has been linked to supplying 155mm artillery shells and other munitions.
The company’s arms exports to Israel have been criticised for potentially violating international humanitarian law, with UN experts in 2024 urging BAE and others to halt transfers due to risks of complicity in human rights violations.
BAE maintains it complies with all export control laws and operates under government-approved licenses.
The company operates over 50 locations in the UK, employing more than 35,000 people. One of these locations is Blackburn, near a large Muslim population.
Meanwhile, Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest military manufacturer and a primary supplier of arms to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
The company provides approximately 85% of Israel’s drones, including the Hermes 450 and 900, which are allegedly used for surveillance and strikes in Gaza, and 85% of land-based military equipment, such as tanks and armored vehicles.
Elbit also supplies munitions, including 155mm artillery shells, MPR 500 bombs, and precision-guided mortar bombs like the Iron Sting, which have been allegedly used in Gaza.
The company markets its weapons as “battle-tested,” drawing criticism from human rights groups for potential complicity in violations of international law.
Elbit Systems UK operates multiple premises in the UK, including locations such as Leicester and Oldham which are near large Muslim populations.
