19th June 2015
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: I wanted to know if it is considered Harām to scan alcohol and other Harām products such as pork etc, whilst working at a supermarket as a checkout assistant/ cashier. Are the earnings considered Harām too? It is really hard finding any sort of job nowadays, would I have to leave it?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to your query, your income will not be considered Harām (unlawful) in its entirety. Imām Abū Haneefah rahimahullah permitted the earning of a man who is employed to carry alcohol for a dhimmi[1] as opposed to his two prominent students, Imām Abū Yusuf rahimahullah and Imām Muhammad rahimahullah who consider it makrooh (disliked). Some scholars have preferred the second view on the grounds of Istihsān (legal preference), suggesting that it must be avoided altogether. The disparity of views is based on the prophetic Hadeeth which states, “Allāh has cursed the carrier of alcohol.” Both Imāms have adopted the apparent implication of the Hadeeth whilst Imām Abū Haneefah rahimahullah applies the prohibition to a Muslim carrying it with the intention of committing sin.[2] In other words, the carrier is cursed for intending to partake in the consumption of alcohol as was the general custom. It is apparent in your case that you only intend to check out the product by scanning, hence falls under the similar ruling of carrying without the intention of partaking in the sin.
If for argument sake scanning alcohol was forbidden on the grounds of the apparent wordings of the Hadeeth then it still does not render the entire earning unlawful because Imām Abū Haneefah rahimahullah views that unlawful earning mixed with lawful earning whereby separating both of them is difficult does not render the entire income unlawful provided that the unlawful income does not constitute majority part of the income.[3] Nevertheless, this is not the case and as indicated that your income is not affected.
This was to clarify the legal position on this matter but ethically speaking, such job does not befit the character of a true believer so whilst you are working there, seeking for an alternative employment that does not entail handling unlawful product should be your long-term aim.
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] A dhimmi is a non-Muslim living in an Islamic state who pays tax to the state. In return the state gives him security and the freedom to practice his religion.
[2] Durrul Mukhtar wa Raddul Muhtar Kitab al-Hadhr wal Ibahat, Bab Istibra wa Ghairihi, p. 562 vol 9
(وَ) جَازَ تَعْمِيرُ كَنِيسَةٍ وَ (حَمْلُ خَمْرِ ذِمِّيٍّ) بِنَفْسِهِ أَوْ دَابَّتِهِ (بِأَجْرٍ) لَا عَصْرُهَا لِقِيَامِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ بِعَيْنِهِ.
(قَوْلُهُ وَحَمْلُ خَمْرِ ذِمِّيٍّ) قَالَ الزَّيْلَعِيُّ: وَهَذَا عِنْدَهُ وَقَالَا هُوَ مَكْرُوهٌ ” لِأَنَّهُ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – «لَعَنَ فِي الْخَمْرِ عَشَرَةً وَعَدَّ مِنْهَا حَامِلَهَا» وَلَهُ أَنَّ الْإِجَارَةَ عَلَى الْحَمْلِ وَهُوَ لَيْسَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ، وَلَا سَبَبَ لَهَا وَإِنَّمَا تَحْصُلُ الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِفِعْلِ فَاعِلٍ مُخْتَارٍ، وَلَيْسَ الشُّرْبُ مِنْ ضَرُورَاتِ الْحَمْلِ، لِأَنَّ حَمْلَهَا قَدْ يَكُونُ لِلْإِرَاقَةِ أَوْ لِلتَّخْلِيلِ، فَصَارَ كَمَا إذَا اسْتَأْجَرَهُ لِعَصْرِ الْعِنَبِ أَوْ قَطْعِهِ وَالْحَدِيثُ مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى الْحَمْلِ الْمَقْرُونِ بِقَصْدِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ اهـ زَادَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ وَهَذَا قِيَاسٌ وَقَوْلُهُمَا اسْتِحْسَانٌ، ثُمَّ قَالَ الزَّيْلَعِيُّ: وَعَلَى هَذَا الْخِلَافِ لَوْ آجَرَهُ دَابَّةً لِيَنْقُلَ عَلَيْهَا الْخَمْرَ أَوْ آجَرَهُ نَفْسَهُ لِيَرْعَى لَهُ الْخَنَازِيرَ يَطِيبُ لَهُ الْأَجْرُ عِنْدَهُ وَعِنْدَهُمَا يُكْرَهُ.
Also see Bahr Raiq Kitabūl Karahiyyat, p. 372 vol 8
[3] Durrul Mukhtar wa Raddul Muhtar Kitāb az-Zakāt, bāb Zakāt al-Ghanam, p. 217 vol 3
(وَلَوْ خَلَطَ السُّلْطَانُ الْمَالَ الْمَغْصُوبَ بِمَالِهِ مَلَكَهُ فَتَجِبُ الزَّكَاةُ فِيهِ وَيُورَثُ عَنْهُ) ؛ لِأَنَّ الْخَلْطَ اسْتِهْلَاكٌ إذَا لَمْ يُمْكِنْ تَمْيِيزٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ، وَقَوْلُهُ أَرْفَقُ إذْ قَلَّمَا يَخْلُو مَالٌ عَنْ غَصْبٍ،
Fatawa Hindiyyah Kitāb al-Karahiyyat, bāb al-Bai alItiyām, p. 444 vol 5
وَالثَّانِي إنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْمَالَ الْحَرَامَ بِعَيْنِهِ قَائِمٌ إلَّا أَنَّهُ اخْتَلَطَ بِالْغَيْرِ بِحَيْثُ لَا يُمْكِنُ التَّمْيِيزُ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّ عَلَى أَصْلِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – بِالْخَلْطِ يَدْخُلُ فِي مِلْكِهِ إلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَرْضَى الْخَصْمُ بِدَفْعِ الْعِوَضِ فَإِنْ اشْتَرَاهُ يَدْخُلُ فِي مِلْكِهِ مَعَ الْكَرَاهَةِ