Question
I have a part time job in a supermarket. I have to put alcohol through the tills. I tell myself that I am not selling people alcohol because I am not making profit on it – I am just passing it through the tills. If the supervisor asks me to stock up the alcohol I refuse, saying that I am not willing to make it look tidy, make it more accessible and promote its sale. The first time I had to put a bottle through the till I went home and cried and went in the shower because I felt so dirty. My mum tells me I am being stupid but I don’t want to go to hell. I only work there for eight hours a week but I need the money. But is it haraam money? What should I do? It gets more complicated because where I live we are the only Muslim family for miles, since I started working at the supermarket people have started to ask me questions, questions that they wouldn’t otherwise have had anyone to pose to had I not been working there (they wouldn’t come up to me and ask me in the street.) I am super super polite and I think they’ve learned a little about Muslims since meeting me – the questions just keep on coming! What should I do? Appreciate a prompt response as I want to do the right thing before I die…
Answer
I admire your sincerity to remain in the path of Islam.
People do not go to hell for putting alcohol bottles in shelves. They may go to hell if they act contrary to what they have sincerely come to know as the truth.
You are not working in an alcohol shop, you are working in a supermarket that beside other things also sells alcohol.
In an ideal world, if you had other options available to you, then my advice would have been to go for a job that is not associated with something that is forbidden by God. We are not living in an ideal world. You wrote you needed the money and I understand that at this time this is the only way for you to get some money. In fact in today’s world you can hardly find a business that is 100% away from Haram. This of course does not negate the fact that we should always try our best to find the most decent job in terms of our religious values.
Based on the above I do not see you working in that supermarket and handling the bottles of alcohol as a sin. This is simply you trying your best to have financial support while at the same time looking forward to find a job that is less problematic. The very fact that you are aware of this issue and are trying to do your best to be less directly involved with it is a unique opportunity for getting rewards from your Lord. I think part of this reward was to put you in a situation to present the true message of Islam to other people. Insha’Allah another part of this reward will be for you to find a job in the near future that will fully satisfy you from all possible respects
Answered by: Farhad Shafti
Date: 2015-01-14
