Question
What do the scholars and muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding the following matter, how is it to work in supermarkets, where we sometimes have to handle alcohol and if a customer requests it, we must give it to them. Also, we have to stock it on the shelves and touch them, how is it to do such a job? Questioner: Qasim from UK
Answer
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
It is impermissible to work such a job which involves alcohol being touched, lifted, placed, encouraged to be place, sold or encouraged to be sold. ‘Alā Hazrat Imām Ahmad Razā Khān (may Allāh envelope him in mercy) states,
“Producing alcohol, having it produced, touching it, lifting it, placing it, having it placed, selling it, having it sold, taking benefit from it and giving benefit through it is harām harām harām! The job which involves these actions, watching over alcohol or its costing are all impermissible”. Allāh (Most High) states,
وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡاِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوٰنِ
“And do not assist another in sin and enmity”. [Sūrah al-Mā’idah, Verse 2]
[Fatāwā Razawiyyah, Volume 23, pg 569]
The Messenger of Allāh (upon him be peace and blessings) said,
لعن اﷲ الخمر وشاربھا وساقیھا و بائعھا ومبتاعھا وعاصرھا ومعتصرھا وحاملھا والمحمولۃ الیہ واٰکل ثمنھا
“Allāh has cursed alcohol, the who drinks it, the who serves it to others, its seller, its buyer, its maker, the who it is made for, its carrier, the who it is carried to and the who consumes the money made from it.”
[Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb al-Ashribah, Bāb al-‘Asīr li al-Khamr, Vokume 2, pg 161]
[al-Mustadrak li al-Hākim al-Ashribah, Volume 4, pg 145]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Zameer Ahmed
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0371] Can we work in supermarkets where we have to handle alcohol?
Published by the Dar-ul-Ifta of Akhuwat-e-Islami as Q-ID0371. Read it on Akhuwat-e-Islami