Your Questions answered

by Sayed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi from his book by the same name

Q. Is it not allowed in Islam to work as a clerk or driver in E.A. Breweries. If no, give reasons from the Qur’an so as to convince me?

A. Yes, it is strictly forbidden in Islam to work in a brewery in any capacity. The reason is that all firms, companies and shops depend for their success on their employees. If they do not get employees, their business will collapse. So everyone working with a firm which does "Haram" business, helps, strengthens and sustains that business. It is to save Muslims from helping "Haram" business to flourish that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) strictly forbade working in any capacity in such concerns; and he more specifically mentioned the business of liquor. He said:

"Allah had done ‘Laanat’ on liquor, and the man who sows the seed of grape or grain for this purpose, and the man who makes liquor, and the man who drinks it, and the man who serves it, and the man who sells it, and the man who buys it, and the man who transports it, and the man to whom it is transported".

To give you an example from recent history, when Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian leader, launched a "non-cooperation" in anything connected with British Government students left Government Schools, teachers and civil servants resigned; lawyers left the courts and traders boycotted the English goods for a long time. Of course, it did not at once topple the

British rule in India but in the long run it helped in getting the British out of India, firstly, by cultivating a feeling of ‘national cause’ in Indians, and secondly by showing the world how much the Indians resented British Rule.

We, the Muslims, are likewise in constant struggle against evil and Haram things; and, therefore, we are not allowed to help the evil in any way.

Q. I intend to start a cottage industry producing labels for the Tanzania Market. In the process of running this industry, there is likelihood of orders coming from Tanzania Breweries Ltd. for making their labels. As you already know Tanzania Breweries deal primarily in liquor bottles, etc.?

Can you please advise me whether such business would be in order without contradicting our Sheriat? The question of not accepting orders from them is out of question because once it is a registered industry and the only such industry in Tanzania, orders will have to be accepted or there will arise chaos.

A. It is my advice that you should not start this industry if you cannot refuse such orders.

Q. Is Kat or Marungi najis or haram to eat or to sell? And what if someone eats Marungi for the purpose of making Ibadat whole night? Or if someone is on a journey and eats it to remain awake to protect himself from the robbers?

A. I have been told that Marungi, which is also called Miraa, creates intoxication. If so it is Haram to use. But as it is originally non liquid, it will not be Najis. Selling a haram thing (for a purpose which is Haram) is also Haram.

A Haram thing cannot be used on the pretext that it would help in Ibadat. Remaining awake whole night for Ibadat is not Wajib. How can you commit a sin for the sake of a Sunnat Ibadat?

Q. When Islam forbade the use of narcotics (i.e. morphine, hashish) the Holy Qur’an used the word "khamr". Some say this means any intoxicant; others say it means only alcohol. I need historical reference (i.e. if there is a law as such which forbids the use of narcotics as there is for alcohol); also please find out for me if any of the ‘ahadith’ mention narcotics.

A. Opium, hashish and other such narcotics are not included in "Khamir". The word "Khamir" is used for liquid intoxicant. But there is no doubt whatsover that all narcotic drugs are Haram and unlawful. There are many ahadith which clearly say that all intoxicants are Haram. These Ahadith are famous and you will find them in Wasael-us-Shia, Bihar-ul-Anwar and other books.

The second reason of these being Haram is that they harm the health of the user and in Islam all such food and drink which are injurious to health are haram.

Q. When it comes to foodstuff packed in bottles and imported from say, India would it be okay to eat these pickles?

A. So long as you do not know that the contents of that particular bottle have been touched by a non-Muslim, you may use it.