The following question was posed to Ash-Shaykh Ahmed an-Najmi rahimahullah

Questioner from Britain:

We have a electrician who wants to work in a restaurant that sells alcohol. Would it be okay for him to fix the electricity of this restaurant?

Ash-Shaykh Ahmed an-Najmi:

No, it is not permissible for him to work in a restaurant that sells alcohol. Is he a muslim?

Questioner:

Yes Shaykh, he is a muslim. However, he is not working under them. The restaurant requested from him to come fix a electric problem in the restaurant.

Ash-Shaykh Ahmed an-Najmi:

No (i.e it is not permissible).

Questioner:

But he is not an employee for them.

Ash-Shaykh Ahmed an-Najmi:

I understand but he will be fixing the electricity. Therefore, he should say to them as long as you are selling alcohol, I won’t be able to do work for you and Allah will provide me with something else.

Questioner:

May Allaah reward you ya Shaykh.

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Also the following question was raised to Shaykh Abdul Azeez Aal Ash-Shaykh hafidaho-Allah:

Question:

What is the ruling on working in a hotel that has alcohol in it. However, my work position therein doesn’t deal with alcohol and it is completely far from it [so what is the ruling on this]?

Answer:

As long as this hotel sells alcohol, then it is compulsory to abandon it and to keep far from it. The Muslim shouldn’t be one who aids in transgression.

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A Side Note:

The exception which has been given is if the person were to work under a company that has separate entities. For example, if he was working under a shopping store which has a restaurant that sells alcohol. Here he would request to work in the field that is a separate entity from that restaurant such as working in the grocery section for example and Allah knows best.

Translated by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr