What is the ruling on one who works in a restaurant where haraam drinks are sold, but he avoids preparing or carrying these drinks to customers, but he continues to serve the customers if they ask for food and drinks which are not haraam? Taking into account the fact that I pass by people who are drinking
them and I see those who are serving them, as it is one place. What is the
ruling on the Muslim who deals in them for the purpose of attracting
customers? What is the ruling on serving pork to customers when working in
that restaurant, as a service and work for the purpose of earning a
living? What is the ruling on the owner of a restaurant who has pork and
earns money from it?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
it is haraam to work and earn a living by helping people to consume haraam
things such as alcohol and pork. The payment for that is haraam, because
this is a kind of cooperating in sin and transgression, and Allaah
prohibited that when He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“…but
do not help one another in sin and transgression…” [al-Maa’idah 5:2]
We
advise you to keep away from working in this and similar restaurants,
because this will keep you from helping in anything that Allaah has
forbidden.
Secondly:
it is forbidden for a Muslim to sell haraam things such as pork and
alcohol. It was reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said:
“When
Allaah forbids a thing, He also forbids its price.”
Provision
and the attraction of customers are things that are in the hand of Allaah,
and they are not to be found in selling haraam things. The Muslim must
fear Allaah and follow His commands and heed His prohibitions.
“And
whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for
him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from
(sources) he never could imagine” [al-Talaaq 65:2-3 – interpretation
of the meaning]
