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How to Keep Your Investments Halal

Alcohol, gambling, tobacco, pork and even interest are off the table, but new financial technology companies and social media are helping people match their portfolios with their beliefs.

Joe Bradford at his home office in Houston.

Joe Bradford at his home office in Houston.

Photographer: Arturo Olmos for Bloomberg Businessweek
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In a crowded field of social media influencers who dispense financial advice, Sheikh Joe Bradford has found his niche. An expert in Islamic law, Bradford teaches his audience how to invest their money the halal way.

The comment sections of his accounts—where 85,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter convene—are full of questions about exactly which investments are allowed for Muslims and which are forbidden, or haram. The queries reveal the challenges facing a generation of financially and technologically literate Muslims who want to know how traditional Islamic guidelines apply to everything from stocks to nonfungible tokens.