Job inquiry as a Pharmacist

Question

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu I have a lengthy question regarding my earnings and my job. Please can Mufti advise regarding the following: I am a pharmacist who works for a non-Muslim who owns two pharmacies. The owner is also a pharmacist. At the pharmacy I was initially employed at, my name is displayed, here they sell a codeine containing syrup to customers who are clearly addicts. I only came to learn this after signing the contract. This caused me much distress as I learnt it is incorrect and I subsequently asked to be moved to the second branch. 1. However my name is still displayed there, does this count as I am condoning it? Even though I am now working at the other branch? 2. My salary is paid to me in cash for the work I carry out (dispensing and counseling patients) if this is paid from the other pharmacy’s takings, is my income haraam? At the second pharmacy we deal with skin preparations mainly. In one such preparation it requires the mixing of different constituents to form the mixture which is used for scarring, lightening of marks etc It has come to my attention that the owner has instructed the assistant to replace the one constituent in the mixture with a much cheaper alternative than what is prescribed on the script, however he has told her to continue to bill the constituent which is expensive. This I understand to be impermissible and have spoken to my boss about it, however he is unphased. It does not harm the patient but slightly alters it’s consistency. I don’t make the mixture, but I am aware that the patient is being cheated. We bill each item individually for the mixture and I unfortunately can’t bill the constituent that is actually used (the cheap item) as the owner verifies everything. This is bringing me a lot of grief and anxiety as I do not wish my income to be haraam. This further distresses me as I feel like my salaah and ibadaah won’t be accepted due to tainted earnings and it it really, really upsets me. It is necessary for me to earn an income and I am seeking alternate employment but it is quite difficult to find something. I’m also reading a lot of istighfaar. 3. What do I do in this situation as I am the one who reviews the script and processes it be it to be billed? 4. How does this affect my income as I feel that it is tainted? 5. What can I do in this case as it is making me extremely stressed and anxious? 6. When seeking alternate employment would it be permissible to apply for a job at a medical aid company? (to review medicine claims) JazakAllah khayr for taking the time to review and answer my question Please make Maaf for any errors or inconvenience caused. Was salaam

M. Akhtar · Accepted Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. Sister in Islam, Your sensitivity regarding your income being Halaal is commendable. You becoming “extremely stressed” and “anxious” is in reality a sign of the strength of your Imaan. We make Dua that Allah Ta’ala grant you inner peace and tranquillity and bless you with Halaal income. Ameen. It is permissible to sell codeine. If anyone abuses codeine that is their sin. However, it is Makrooh to sell codeine to a customer who is known to abuse it. Nevertheless, the income from the proceeds of the sale of the codeine to such a customer will be halal but Makrooh. In your case, the owner is non-muslim. You are not selling the codeine and you are being paid for your employment. You are not responsible for such a sale and your wage will be halal. [i] The revenue made from sub-standard products will be tainted. However, your income will be halal You will not be sinful for your name being displayed as you are not participating in the sin. It will be permissible to apply for a position to review medicine claims for a medical aid. We advise that you continue to search for a new job and make Tawbah in the interim. Inshallah, you will be forgiven for holding your current position until you find a new employment. Do not become stressed and anxious over the situation, rather make Dua that Allah Ta’ala opens the way for you soon with a suitable job. And Allah Ta’ala Knows best M. Akhtar Student Darul Iftaa South Africa Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. [i] مجمع الأنهر في شرح ملتقى الأبحر (2/ 529) (وَمَنْ حَمَلَ لِذِمِّيٍّ خَمْرًا بِأَجْرٍ طَابَ لَهُ) عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِ (وَعِنْدَهُمَا يُكْرَهُ) لَهُ ذَلِكَ لِوُجُودِ الْإِعَانَةِ عَلَى الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَقَدْ صَحَّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ - عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ - «لَعَنْ فِي الْخَمْرِ عَشْرًا وَعَدَّ مِنْهَا حَامِلَهَا وَالْمَحْمُولَ إلَيْهِ» وَلَهُ أَنَّ الْمَعْصِيَةَ فِي شُرْبِهَا لَا فِي حَمْلِهَا مَعَ الْحَمْلِ يُحْمَلُ عَلَى الْإِرَاقَةِ أَوْ التَّخْلِيلِ وَالْحَدِيثُ مَحْمُولُ عَلَى الْحَمْلِ الْمَقْرُونِ بِقَصْدِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَعَلَى هَذَا الْخِلَافِ إذَا آجَرَ دَابَّةً لِيَنْقُلَ عَلَيْهَا الْخَمْرَ أَوْ آجَرَ نَفْسَهُ لِيَرْعَى الْخَنَازِيرَ وَلَا بَأْسَ بِبَيْعِ الزُّنَّارِ مِنْ النَّصَارَى وَالْقَلَنْسُوَةِ مِنْ الْمَجُوسِيِّ وَلَوْ أَنَّ إسْكَافًا أَمَرَهُ إنْسَانٌ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ لَهُ خُفًّا عَلَى زِيِّ الْمَجُوسِيِّ أَوْ الْفَسَقَةِ أَوْ خَيَّاطًا أَمَرَهُ إنْسَانٌ أَنْ يَخِيطَ لَهُ ثَوْبًا عَلَى زِيِّ الْفُسَّاقِ يُكْرَهُ لَهُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 362) ومن سأل من أهل الذمة مسلماً عن طريق البيعة فلا ينبغي له أن يدل عليه؛ لأنه أعانه على المعصية، ولا بأس بالذهاب إلى ضيافة أهل الذمة؛ لأنه نوع بر، وإذا آجر المسلم نفسه من ذمي ليعصر له فيتخذ خمراً فهو مكروه، ولو آجر نفسه ليعمل في الكنيسة ويعمرها فلا بأس به؛ إذ ليس في نفس العمل معصية فقه البيوع (1/187) فتنقيح الضابط في هذا الباب على مامن به على ربى: أن الإعانة على المعصية حرام مطلقا بنص القرآن أعنى قوله تعالى: " ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان (المائدة:۲) وقوله تعالى: فلن أكون ظهيرا للمجرمين (القصص:۱۷) ولكن الإعانة حقيقة هي ما قامت المعصية بعين فعل المعين ولايتحقق إلا بنية الإعانة، أو التصريح بها، أو تعينها في استعمال هذا الشيئ بحيث لايحتمل غير المعصية. ومالم تقم المعصية بعينه لم يكن من الإعانة حقيقة، بل من التسبب، ومن أطلق عليه لفظ "الإعانة" فقد تجوز، لكونه صورة إعانة، كما مر من السير الكبير

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