Date : 18-01-2012

Question :

What is the ruling on distributing advertising materials to Alcohol factory?


The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.



Allah, The Exalted, Has Forbidden wine in the noble Quran as well as everything that helps in distributing and manufacturing it since Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) cursed ten involved in wine: The one who presses it, the one who has it pressed, its drinker, its carrier, and the one it is carried to, its server, its seller, the consumption of its price, the one who purchases it and the one it was purchased for." [At-Tirmithi]. This narration clarifies that promoting wine is prohibited in all forms.



Therefore, if the aforementioned materials were intended to promote wine for sure, then it is prohibited to import them because helping in sin and transgression is basically forbidden. In this regard, Allah, the most Exalted, Said (What means): "but help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment." [Al-Ma'idah/2].



However, if a person didn't know that his advertising materials will be used in promoting prohibited goods, then he is free from liability because they could be used in promoting both prohibited and lawful goods, according to customer's intention. And Allah Knows Best.