Fatwa #757124 December 2002United States of America
For a Gas station business owner, who sells Liquor, Lotto tickets, Non-halal products, etc. is there anyway to turn this income from haram to halal without eliminating the products off the shelves, ??
Question
For a Gas station business owner, who sells Liquor, Lotto tickets, Non-halal products, etc. is there anyway to turn this income from haram to halal without eliminating the products off the shelves, since majority of the profits in this business consist of these items? For example to resolve this matter, can one give part of the income to the needy, or provide to Muslim charities. Your knowledge and advice is greatly appreciated, Jazakh-Allah Khair..
Answer
There are two aspects to your query; a) Engaging in Haraam business, and b) Removing the Haraam
It is not permissible to deliberately engage in a Haraam business. The owner of the gas station should eliminate all the Haraam items from the shelves and replace them with Halaal items. The reasoning behind keeping the Haraam items has no basis in Shari?ah. It is not permissible to continue with the sale of Haraam items with the intention of giving its proceeds in charity.
However, if one has Haraam money in his possession, he should dispose of it by giving it in charity without the intention of gaining reward.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
It is not permissible to deliberately engage in a Haraam business. The owner of the gas station should eliminate all the Haraam items from the shelves and replace them with Halaal items. The reasoning behind keeping the Haraam items has no basis in Shari?ah. It is not permissible to continue with the sale of Haraam items with the intention of giving its proceeds in charity.
However, if one has Haraam money in his possession, he should dispose of it by giving it in charity without the intention of gaining reward.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai