Series of Answers by the Eminent Scholar Ata bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah, Amir of Hizb ut-Tahrir,
to the questions of visitors to his Facebook page "Fiqhi"
Answer to Question
Everything Prohibited for People, Its Sale is Prohibited
To: Abo Alwaled Alghutani
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh,
May Allah protect you, our Sheikh, and benefit us through you and your knowledge.
I have been offered a job as a (Sales Representative) for a company that sells beauty products and perfumes. Some items contain varying percentages of alcohol (cologne containing high percentages of ethyl alcohol, and products containing percentages of ethyl, methyl, and isopropyl alcohol, such as perfumes and cosmetics).
The question is: Is it permissible for me to work as a sales representative? Also, is it permissible for me to work within the company in a field other than sales, for example, administrative work?
May Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer:
Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh,
At the outset, I understand that you are asking about working in companies that are correctly contracted (mun’aqidah) and not about working in void (batil) companies... The answer to this matter is as follows:
1- The ruling on working as a sales representative in a company that sells some prohibited materials (perfumes and cosmetics containing ethyl alcohol... etc.):
We have researched this matter in our books and explained that it is haram (prohibited)... It states in the book The Islamic Personality (Ash-Shakhsiya al-Islamiya), Volume II, under the chapter (Everything Prohibited for People, Its Sale is Prohibited):
"There are things that Allah has prohibited eating, such as carrion; things He has prohibited drinking, such as wine (khamr); things He has prohibited adopting, such as idols; things He has prohibited possessing, such as statues; and things He has prohibited making, such as pictures. These things have Shari'ah texts from verses and Hadiths regarding their prohibition. Whatever Allah has prohibited for the servants among the things for which a Shari'ah text has been revealed regarding its prohibition—whether He prohibited its eating, drinking, or otherwise—then the sale of these things that Allah has prohibited for the servants is prohibited because their price is prohibited. On the authority of Jabir, he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ حَرَّمَ بَيْعَ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْتَةِ وَالْخِنْزِيرِ وَالْأَصْنَامِ. فَقِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَرَأَيْتَ شُحُومَ الْمَيْتَةِ فَإِنَّهَا يُطْلَى بِهَا السُّفُنُ، وَيُدْهَنُ بِهَا الْجُلُودُ، وَيَسْتَصْبِحُ بِهَا النَّاسُ؟ فَقَالَ: لَا، هُوَ حَرَامٌ. ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَّا حَرَّمَ شُحُومَهَا جَمَلُوهُ ثُمَّ بَاعُوهُ فَأَكَلُوا ثَمَنَهُ
'Allah and His Messenger have prohibited the sale of wine (khamr), carrion, swine, and idols.' It was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what do you think about the fat of carrion, for it is used to coat ships, tan hides, and people use it for lamps?' He said: 'No, it is haram.' Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said at that time: 'May Allah curse the Jews; indeed, when Allah prohibited its fat for them, they melted it down, then sold it and consumed its price.' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari). Jamaluhu means they melted it. On the authority of Ibn Abbas, the Prophet ﷺ said:
قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ ثَلَاثاً، إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّحُومَ فَبَاعُوهَا وَأَكَلُوا أَثْمَانَهَا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا حَرَّمَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ أَكْلَ شَيْءٍ حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثَمَنَهُ
'May Allah curse the Jews (three times); indeed, Allah prohibited for them the fats, but they sold them and consumed their prices. Verily, when Allah prohibits the eating of something to a people, He prohibits its price to them.' (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)..." End quote.
Therefore, working in this field is haram.
2- As for administrative work in a company that includes the sale of some prohibited materials among its activities, it is looked at as follows:
If the administrative work has a direct connection to the sale of prohibited materials, such as working on processing orders related to the sale of prohibited materials or the like, then this administrative work is haram because of its association with a prohibited act, which is the sale of prohibited materials...
However, if the administrative work has no connection to the sale of prohibited materials—meaning your administrative duties do not include processing orders for the sale of prohibited materials or the like—then this administrative work is not haram, even if it is in a company whose business includes selling prohibited materials. This is because, in this case, you are not performing a prohibited act...
Nevertheless, a person’s precaution for his religion is not only by staying away from the haram, but even from some permissible (mubah) things for fear of the presence of a haram near it. The companions of the Messenger ﷺ used to stay away from several doors of the permissible out of fear of approaching the prohibited. It was narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said:
لَا يَبْلُغُ العَبْدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ المُتَّقِينَ حَتَّى يَدَعَ مَا لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ حَذَراً لِمَا بِهِ البَأْسُ
"A servant will not reach the level of being among the God-fearing (al-muttaqin) until he leaves that which is harmless out of caution for that which is harmful." (Reported by At-Tirmidhi, who said this is a Hasan Hadith). Likewise, At-Tirmidhi reported, and said it is a Hasan Sahih Hadith, via Al-Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: I memorized from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
دَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لَا يَرِيبُكَ
"Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt." Therefore, it is better for the questioner and more absolving for his religion to stay away from working with such companies and to search for work in which there is good provision (rizq hasan). Allah the Almighty makes a way out for whoever fears Him:
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْراً
"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out * And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent." (At-Talaq [65]: 2-3).
I hope this is sufficient, and Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise.
Your brother, Ata bin Khalil Abu al-Rashtah
23 Shawwal 1443 AH Corresponding to 23/05/2022 CE
Link to the answer from the Amir's page (may Allah protect him) on Facebook
Link to the answer from the Amir's page (may Allah protect him) on the Web