ASA.
I have a close friend who is about to immigrate to USA very soon. His plan is to own his own convenience store (with or without a gas station), with the help of his uncle living in USA already. His uncle already owns a convenience store and wants to expand his business.
Now, the convenience store will be selling different sorts of items for daily use, and bill payments etc, along with alcoholic drinks, lottery tickets and snacks with pork in them. Also, there might be slot machines as well. My friend is a bit apprehensive about doing this sort of business, but he is told by his uncle and others that if you need to do business in USA then you MUST keep such items in your shop, otherwise you will not get customers.
What should he do? If it really is necessary to stock these items, is it permissible for him to do this business? What if he separates the income from the haraam products and only uses the other income for his personal use?
Also, what if he only sells these items to non-muslims? Will it be permissible then?
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
There are plenty of other business options that dont involve alcohol and pork. You friend doesnt have to run a convenient store. Also, not all convenient stores have to carry alcohol.
As far as selling pork products, my knowledge is not broad enough to say that its strictly forbidden to sell pork. Perhaps someone else on board can help with this aspect.
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
Not allowed. Once he comes a start, he will not be able to get out of the cycle even if he wants to. Better to not start and look for something halal with peace of mind inshallah.
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
Thank you for the replies. He was actually told by ppl running convenience stores here that customers will only come if they get everything they need at one shop... and to run your business, there is provision for this in Islam.
I'll pass the message on, I guess you should not do something you're not comfortable doing. Rest is upto Allah.
If someone knows whether selling pork, or any non-halal food is allowed or not, please do comment on that as well. I am unable to find a suitable answer.
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
As far as I know know islamically any use of alcohol by any means, ways, is forbidden. I think its same for gambling. Not sure about selling haraam food.
Selling alcohol/off licences is probably the easiest way to make money. Not going to lie I considered and if I had done it would have brought a great deal of wealth.
However, I decided against. I suppose I don't want to be on my deathbed thinking my lifes work is all haraam. Which would be descended down to my kids etc...I instead chose an alternative. I can only speak personally. For me it wasnt worth it.
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
Peace enlightened,
Narrated from Hazrat Aisha r.a. that the Prophet Muhammad banned the trade of alcohol. There is no doubt that a person financially can gain more benefit (profit) by selling forbidden things including alcohol.
Almighty Allah said in Chapter 2 verse 219: “They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.” And they ask you what they should spend. Say, “The excess [beyond needs].” Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.”
To understand the above verse, here I’ll quote a hadith from the book ‘Zakat (Kitab Al-Zakat)’ of Sunan Abu-Dawud Hadith No. 1687.
“Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet commanded to give sadaqah. A man said: Apostle of Allah, I have a dinar. He said: Spend it on yourself. He again said: I have another. He said: Spend it on your children. He again said: I have another. He said: Spend it on your wife. He again said: I have another. He said: Spend it on your servant. He finally said: I have another. He replied: You know best (what to do with it).”
In simple words it means that when a person get involve in business where he/she is getting more benefit (profit), avidity of more of it harumscarum him/her from his/her religion and such businesses are kind of “Shaitan’s work”, which needed to avoid at all.
Re: Selling alcohol, lottery tickets - allowed or not?
pork N alcohol are categorized as UNCLEAN [Najis] in Islam. Allah has asked Muslims NOT to do anything with alcohol...from growing grapes to making wine to transporting it to selling to serving and to consuming it.
banned the trade of alcohol. There is no doubt that a person financially can gain more benefit (profit) by selling forbidden things including alcohol.