Date : 25-07-2010

Question :

I have been looking for a job for over a year. Fortunately, I found one at a tobacco and cigarette company. Is this job lawful?


The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.


 


Smoking is religiously forbidden as it inflicts evils and harms on both the individual and the society. Therefore, cigarettes and other tobacco products are unlawful to smoke, sell, and buy. Similarly, it is unlawful to work for tobacco and cigarette companies since this comes within helping in sin and transgression, as reflected in the following verse where Allah, the Exalted, Says {What means}: "Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah. for Allah is strict in punishment." {Al-Mai`dah, 2}.


As for not finding a job, this an affliction towards which one should exercise patience and be content with the reward from Allah the Almighty. No matter what the case may be, it is impermissible to resort to an unlawful job, and remember (Questioner) that Allah the Almighty Says (What means): "And for those who fear God, He (ever) prepares a way out, and He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in God, sufficient is (God) for him. For God will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has God appointed a due proportion." {At-Talaaq, 2-3}. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.