Everything that is Made Forbidden to the People Its Sale is Forbidden

প্রশ্ন · Question

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh,
May Allah protect you, our Sheikh, and benefit others by you and your
knowledge.
I was offered a job (sales representative) for a company that sells
cosmetic products and perfumes; some items contain varying
percentages of alcohol (cologne, which contains high levels of ethyl
alcohol, and products containing ethyl, methyl, and isopropyl alcohol,
such as perfumes and cosmetics).
Question: Is it permissible for me to work as a sales representative?
Likewise, is it permissible for me to work within the company in a field
other than sales, for example, administrative work?
Jazak Allah Khair

উত্তর · Answer

Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh
To begin with, I understand that you are asking about working in
companies formed according to a correct basis and not about working
in invalid companies. The answer to this question is as follows:

1- The ruling on working as a sales representative in a company that
sells some prohibited items (perfumes and cosmetics containing ethyl
alcohol...etc.):
We have discussed this matter in our books and we have made it clear
that it is forbidden. It is stated in the book, The Islamic Personality, in
the chapter, “Everything that is Made Forbidden to the People Its Sale
is Forbidden”:
[There are things that Allah has forbidden to eat, such as the flesh of a
dead animal, and things that Allah has forbidden to drink, such as
alcohol, and things that Allah has forbidden to worship, such as idols,
and things that Allah has forbidden to possess, such as statues, and
things He ﷻ has forbidden to make, such as statues. These things are
mentioned in Shariah texts in verses and Hadiths prohibiting them.
What Allah has made forbidden to the people of the things that are
prohibited by Shariah text, whether they are forbidden to eat or drink
or otherwise; their sale is forbidden because of the prohibition of their
price. On the authority of Jabir that he heard the Messenger of Allah
ﷺ said:«
يْتَ شُحُومَ الْمَيْتَةِ فَإِنَّهَا يُطْلََ بِهَا السُّفُنُ، وَيُدْهَنُ بِهَا الْجُلُودُ، وَيَسْتَصْبِحُ بِهَا
َ
رَأ
َ
اللَّهِ، أ
النَّاسُ؟ فَقَالَ: لََ، هُوَ حَرَامٌ. ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: قَاتَلَ اللَّهُ الْيَهُودَ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَّا
كَلُوا ثَمَنَهُ
َ
حَرَّمَ شُحُومَهَا جَمَلُوهُ ثُمَّ بَاعُوهُ فَأ
Allah and His Messenger have declared forbidden the sale of wine,
animals which have died a natural death, swine and idols.” He was
asked: O Messenger of Allah, what do say of the fat of animals which
had died a natural death, for it was used for caulking ships, greasing
skins, and making oil for lamps? He ﷺ said: No, it is forbidden. He ﷺ
added, "Allah curse the Jews! When He declared the fat of such
animals unlawful they melted it, then sold it and enjoyed the price
they received.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]. The word “Jammaloh” means
they melted it.

On the authority of ibn Abbas that the Prophet ﷺ said:«
ثَلََثاً، إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّحُومَ كْلَ
َ
ثْمَانَهَا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا حَرَّمَ عَلََ قَوْمٍ أ
َ
كَلُوا أ
َ
فَبَاعُوهَا وَأ
يْءٍ حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثَمَنَهُ
شَِMay Allah curse the Jews! He said this three
times. Allah declared unlawful for them the fats (of the animals
which died a natural death); they sold them and they enjoyed the
price they received for them. When Allah declared eating of thing
forbidden for the people, He declares it price also forbidden for
them”. [Narrated by Al-Bukhari] End.
Therefore, work in this area is forbidden.
2- As for the administrative work in a company whose business
includes selling some prohibited items, these matters should be
considered:
- If the administrative work is directly related to the sale of prohibited
materials, such as working in processing orders related to the sale of
prohibited materials, or the like, then this administrative work is
forbidden because it is linked to a forbidden work, which is the sale of
prohibited materials.
- But if the administrative work is not related to the sale of prohibited
materials, so it is not within your administrative work to prepare
requests for the sale of prohibited materials or the like. This
administrative work is not forbidden even if it is in a company whose
business is the sale of prohibited materials, because you, in this case,
do not carry out a forbidden act.
Nevertheless, a person’s care for his Deen is not only by staying away
from what is forbidden, but even from some permissible things out of
fear that there is something forbidden close to them. The companions
of the Messenger ﷺ used to stay away from several doors of the
permissible (mubah), for fear of approaching the forbidden. It was
narrated from the Messenger ﷺ that He said: «نْ يَكُونَ مِنَ
َ
لََ يَبْلُغُ العَبْدُ أ
سُ
ْ
سَ بِهِ حَذَراً لِمَا بِهِ البَأ
ْ
المُتَّقِيْ َ حَن َّ يَدَعَ مَا لََ بَأ » “No one will attain to being

one of the pious till he abandons things which are harmless through
being on his guard against what is harmful.”
At-Tirmidhi narrated it and said this is a Hassan Hadith. At -Tirmidhi
also extracted, and he said it is a Hassan, Sahih Hadith, through Al -
Hasan bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I have retained
in my memory these words of Allah's Messenger: «دَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلََ مَا لََ
يَرِيبُكَ » “Leave what causes you doubt and turn to what does not cause
you doubt.”
Therefore, it is better for the questioner, and better for his Deen, to
stay away from working with such companies and to look for a job in
which he will have a good livelihood, and Allah ﷻ makes a way out for
those who fear Him:
[وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لََ يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكهلْ عَلََ اللَّهِ فَهُ وَ
يْءٍ قَدْراً
مْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلر شَِ
َ
حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أ ]
“And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out * And will
provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies
upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will
accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a
[decreed] extent” [At-Talaq: 2-3].
I hope that this is sufficient and Allah Knows Best, He is Most Wise.
Your Brother,
Abu Yasin
23 Shawwal 1443 AH
23/5/2022 CE