Is Qualcomm Stock Halal?
Qualcomm Inc. · QCOM · NASDAQ
Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) passes our AAOIFI-based screen. Its core business is permissible, and (data as of 2026-03-29) interest-bearing debt is 6.8% of market cap and cash plus interest-bearing securities 4.4% — both inside the 30% AAOIFI thresholds. It is independently held by Shariah-screened ETFs SPUS and 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 2026-03-29 · Screening basis: AAOIFI · Last reviewed 2026-06-15
Our Analysis
Qualcomm is one of the more straightforward large-cap names for halal investors. Its business splits into two permissible activities: designing and selling wireless and computing chips (the QCT segment, which powers smartphones, cars, and IoT/5G devices) and licensing the foundational communications patents it owns (the QTL segment). Neither involves alcohol, gambling, conventional lending, or any other prohibited category, and the company is independently held by both major U.S. Shariah-screened ETFs — SPUS (S&P Shariah methodology) and HLAL (FTSE Shariah methodology) — which confirms it clears professional business and financial screens.
On the financial side, Qualcomm carries modest interest-bearing debt relative to its market value and holds a corporate cash and securities position that earns a small amount of interest income — about 1.4% of revenue on our screen, which matches the 1.44% independently reported by HalalStocks.co.uk and sits well under the 5% AAOIFI limit. The standard treatment for that sliver is purification: donate the proportional share of any dividends attributable to it rather than avoiding the stock. The dated AAOIFI ratio table on this page shows the specific debt and cash figures from the latest filing.
The practical takeaway: the open question for Qualcomm is not the business screen, which is clean, but keeping current on the financial ratios, which move with the share price. Check the data-as-of date above, treat the small interest-income component with routine purification, and avoid margin or options on the position.
Business Activity Screen
Qualcomm operates two core segments per its 10-K: QCT (Qualcomm CDMA Technologies), which designs and sells semiconductor chips and system software for smartphones, automotive, and IoT/5G devices; and QTL (Qualcomm Technology Licensing), which licenses Qualcomm's portfolio of foundational wireless-communication patents. Revenue is overwhelmingly from permissible semiconductor sales and patent licensing.
Core revenue from chip sales (QCT) and patent licensing (QTL) raises no business-screen issues. The one review point is interest income earned on Qualcomm's corporate cash and marketable securities — approximately 1.4% of revenue on our screen (independently reported at 1.44% by HalalStocks.co.uk), comfortably under the 5% AAOIFI threshold. Investors following standard purification practice should donate the proportional share of dividends attributable to that income. No alcohol, gambling, tobacco, or interest-based lending lines are disclosed in the 10-K.
Financial Ratio Screen
| Screen | Value | AAOIFI limit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interest-bearing debt / market cap | 6.8% | < 30% | Pass |
| Cash + interest-bearing securities / market cap | 4.4% | < 30% | Pass |
| Impermissible income / total revenueInterest income $639.0M on $44.28B total revenue (Qualcomm Inc. FY2025 (fiscal year ended 2025-09-28, Form 10-K)) = 1.4% — under AAOIFI's 5% limit. | 1.4% | < 5% | Pass |
Spot market cap at research date (consider trailing average for borderline names). Data as of 2026-03-29 · 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 Qualcomm 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) | 6.8% | 4.4% | < 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. | 6.8% | 4.4% | < 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. | 26.7% | 17.2% | < 33.33% of total assets | Pass |
HalalWallet computation reproducing each standard's threshold and denominator from public filings (balance sheet as of 2026-03-29) — 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.
SP Funds S&P 500 Sharia ETF (SPUS)
Held in SPUS as of 2026-06-13 — passed the S&P Shariah screen applied by the fund.
Source →Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF (HLAL)
Held in HLAL as of 2026-06-13 — passed the FTSE Shariah screen applied by the fund.
Source →Zoya
Classifies QCOM as Shariah-compliant under its AAOIFI-based methodology, reviewed at least quarterly.
Source →Musaffa
Classified HALAL as of May 2026 based on AAOIFI business-activity and financial-ratio screens (report source: 2026 Q2).
Source →HalalStocks.co.uk
Rates QCOM Halal — 4 of 4 AAOIFI screens passed; reports interest income at 1.44% of revenue (below the 5% threshold) and debt comfortably under the limit.
Source →
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 Qualcomm Inc. 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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Frequently Asked Questions
Sources and review process
This page is reviewed against HalalWallet editorial standards and source documentation.
Reviewed by: HalalWallet Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 2026-06-01
- QCOM latest quarterly filing (balance sheet 2026-03-29)
- AAOIFI Shariah Standards
- QUALCOMM Inc. 10-K filings (SEC EDGAR)
- SPUS Schedule of Investments (2026-02-28) — Qualcomm held
- HLAL (Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF) holdings — Qualcomm held (CapEdge, Feb 2026)
- Zoya — QCOM Shariah compliance status
- Musaffa — QCOM Shariah status (HALAL, May 2026)
- HalalWallet Methodology
- Editorial Policy
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Editorial Team, HalalWallet
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