Is Intel Stock Halal?
Intel Corporation · INTC · NASDAQ
Intel Corporation (INTC) passes our AAOIFI-based screen. Its core business is permissible, and (data as of 2026-03-28) interest-bearing debt is 7.8% of market cap and cash plus interest-bearing securities 5.6% — both inside the 30% AAOIFI thresholds. It is independently held by Shariah-screened ETF HLAL, confirming it passes professional screens. Ratios move with the share price, so check the data-as-of date; any incidental interest income should be purified.
Financial data as of 2026-03-28 · Screening basis: AAOIFI · Last reviewed 2026-06-15
Our Analysis
Intel's business activity is straightforwardly permissible: it designs and manufactures chips, with fiscal 2025 revenue of $52.85 billion coming from client processors ($32.23 billion), data-center and AI products ($16.92 billion), foundry services, and smaller product lines. There is no haram revenue category in the business itself, so for Shariah purposes Intel is evaluated on its financial ratios, such as debt levels and any interest income relative to AAOIFI thresholds, which move with each reporting period.
The interesting and honest data point for investors is that the two largest US Shariah ETFs currently disagree on Intel. HLAL's SEC-filed schedule of investments (February 28, 2026) shows a position in Intel, while Intel is absent from the SPUS holdings table dated June 11, 2026, even though Intel is an S&P 500 company. The funds track different indexes (FTSE USA Shariah vs S&P 500 Shariah Industry Exclusions) whose financial-ratio screens differ in formula and measurement dates, and neither publishes stock-level explanations, so we cannot state the precise reason for the divergence.
For a Muslim retail investor, the takeaway is that Intel's core business is clean but its screen status is ratio-dependent and currently differs across professional methodologies. That makes Intel exactly the kind of stock to verify in a live screener at the time of purchase rather than relying on a cached verdict, especially given the large debt-funded foundry buildout that can move its ratios from quarter to quarter.
Business Activity Screen
Intel designs and manufactures semiconductors, including client CPUs, data-center processors, and foundry services. Per its FY2025 10-K (fiscal year ended December 27, 2025), total net revenue was $52.85 billion, with Client Computing Group revenue of $32.23 billion, Data Center and AI revenue of $16.92 billion, Intel Foundry revenue of $17.83 billion (predominantly intersegment; external foundry revenue was $307 million), and all-other revenue of $3.56 billion before eliminations.
Semiconductor design and manufacturing is a permissible business activity with no haram product lines. Intel reports interest and investment income within non-operating results, but the specific 2025 amount was not verified for this brief (null rather than estimated); any such income would count toward the ~5% AAOIFI impermissible-income tolerance and is the kind of item stock-level screeners track. Note an observable divergence between the two major Shariah ETFs: Intel appears in HLAL's SEC-filed holdings (as of 2026-02-28) but does not appear in the SPUS holdings list dated 2026-06-11; neither fund publishes per-stock reasons, so the cause (e.g., financial-ratio screens applied at different dates) is not verifiable.
Financial Ratio Screen
| Screen | Value | AAOIFI limit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest-bearing debt / market cap | 7.8% | < 30% | Pass |
| Cash + interest-bearing securities / market cap | 5.6% | < 30% | Pass |
| Impermissible income / total revenueInterest income $1.01B on $52.85B total revenue (Intel Corporation FY2025 (fiscal year ended 2025-12-27, Form 10-K)) = 1.9% — under AAOIFI's 5% limit. | 1.9% | < 5% | Pass |
Spot market cap at research date (consider trailing average for borderline names). Data as of 2026-03-28 · thresholds per AAOIFI Shariah standards.
This verdict uses the AAOIFI standard — the most widely used and, at a 30% debt limit, the most conservative mainstream Shariah standard. Interest-bearing debt and interest-bearing securities each stay under 30% of market cap, and impermissible income under 5% of revenue. Other standards (Dow Jones Islamic, S&P Shariah, MSCI Islamic, FTSE Yasaar) use ~33% limits or screen against total assets, so a borderline company can be rated differently by each. How we screen & why screeners disagree →
How Intel screens across Shariah standards
All three mainstream bases below reach the same conclusion for this company.
| Standard | Debt | Cash & interest securities | Limit / basis | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAOIFI (our standard) | 7.8% | 5.6% | < 30% of market cap | Pass |
| Dow Jones Islamic / S&P Shariah thresholdDow Jones and S&P apply this limit against a trailing 24–36-month average market cap; shown here on the same point-in-time market cap for comparison. | 7.8% | 5.6% | < 33% of market cap | Pass |
| MSCI Islamic / FTSE Yasaar basisTotal-assets denominator. MSCI/FTSE also apply entry/exit buffers and a receivables screen we do not reproduce. | 21.9% | 16.0% | < 33.33% of total assets | Pass |
HalalWallet computation reproducing each standard's threshold and denominator from public filings (balance sheet as of 2026-03-28) — not the providers' licensed index determinations, which can differ. Debt is interest-bearing borrowings (operating leases excluded). The impermissible-income screen (< 5% of revenue) is common to all of these standards and is shown in the ratio table above. Dow Jones and S&P apply their limit against a trailing 24–36-month average market cap; MSCI and FTSE add entry/exit buffers and a receivables screen. Full methodology →
Scholars' & Screeners' Positions
Published positions, cited as stated. Screeners can reach different conclusions on the same company because of ratio timing and methodology differences — we report the disagreement rather than flatten it.
Purification
Even Shariah-compliant companies typically earn a small amount of incidental interest on corporate cash. The standard practice is to purify: donate the proportion of your dividends (and, per some scholars, capital gains) attributable to impermissible income. Our purification calculator automates the math from your holding and the company's disclosed figures.
Purification calculatorKeep your portfolio halal
A pass today isn't a pass forever — ratios drift across thresholds between filings. A halal screener monitors holdings continuously.
Related guides
Consider Consulting an Islamic Scholar
Major whether Intel Corporation is halal decisions often involve nuances that vary by scholarly opinion and personal circumstance. While HalalWallet provides educational comparisons and tools, we are not scholars or financial advisors. For personal guidance on Shariah compliance, consider speaking with a qualified Islamic scholar, your local imam, or a Shariah-certified financial advisor familiar with your situation.
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Reviewed by: HalalWallet Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 2026-06-01
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