Are Muslims Prohibited from Working in Premises Selling Alcoholic Beverages?

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) has stressed the need to take a holistic and comprehensive approach as opposed to imposing an outright ban to prevent Muslims from working in premises selling alcohol beverages.

The Central PAS Ulamak Council deputy head wanted to know if JAKIM has also held an engagement session with the state government and industry players involved on the framework of the State Syariah Criminal Enactment to identify efforts to prevent Muslims from seeking employment at premises selling alcohol beverages.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

To quell doubts and confusion over the matter, the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office had on Jan 9, 2017 addressed the issue of working in a convenience store – as in the case of 7-Eleven, 99 Speedmart and others – that sell alcoholic beverages.

Below are its three viewpoints:

• If the income is derived from the sale of both from the permissible and the prohibited, then the wage is not prohibited but makruh (undesirable).

• If the worker himself is involved with the sale – i.e. he is working as the cashier – then it is prohibited although the prohibition is not the same as consuming the alcohol beverage.

• It is best to separate between the counters of permissible and prohibited products in accordance with the work shift of the employees; this is deemed the responsibility of the employer to protect the welfare of their Muslim staff.

“We would advise the employees concerned to try and find work at places where there are no elements of doubt for that is safer and calms one’s heart,” the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office advised.

I think working in a store that sells alcohol is not the only issue – what about where packaged pork or other non-halal goods are sold? To have separate counters is a burden on employers. Is it better to employ Nons for this purpose? In fact, it may also be a problem to work in an environment with too many Non-Muslims. Or, live in an area surrounded by Non-Muslims? The list is endless and are we moving into a segregated society?

Reference:

So are Muslims prohibited from working in premises that sell alcoholic beverages? Focus Malaysia, 7 March 2024