Home
Discover Islam
Quran Recitations
Lectures
Fatwa
Articles
Fiqh
E-Books
Women
Boys & Girls 
Enter Question
View By Subject
Fatwa Of The Week
Selected Fatwa
Fatwa CenterRenting out auditorium for non-Muslim or mixed weddings
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. In my country, the weddings, both of Muslims and non-Muslims, usually take place in auditoriums. For Muslim weddings, music, mixing, photography, and videography are very common. And for non-Muslim weddings, religious rituals also take place inside the auditorium. My mother says that renting out an auditorium for weddings is a halal business and that the sin will be for those who are involved in haram because we are just renting it to them, just like renting an apartment while we do not know what happens inside. However, I feel that since we know beforehand how the weddings usually are, it would not be appropriate as a halal business. My question is: is it a halal business to own an auditorium and rent it out for these kind of weddings. If it is not halal and if our parents are involved in this business, then what can we do about it? Would it be a sin to support them in any way, financially or physically, or take care of the daily maintenance of theses auditoriums? May Allaah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Among the established rules of the Sharee'ah is that helping in the disobedience of Allaah is forbidden, as Allaah says (what means): {…but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allaah; indeed, Allaah is severe in penalty.} [Quran 5:2]
Therefore, if a person knows or predominantly thinks that the tenant, by hiring the auditorium, intends to do what is forbidden, such as having forbidden singing and religious rituals for non-Muslims, then it is not permissible to rent it to him.
However, if the landlord does not know that the tenant will use the auditorium in what is forbidden, then it is not forbidden to rent it to him, even if the tenant does what is forbidden afterwards, because the contract was concluded regarding something permissible in principle. please, refer to fatwa 308935.
Hence, you should advise your parents and clarify the religious ruling to them.
As regards helping your parents in this activity, then it is forbidden, as we have stated above regarding the details of the lease, but mere maintenance of the auditorium and the like does not seem to be forbidden as long as it does not directly lead to what is forbidden.
For more benefit, please refer to fataawa 102612 and 22806.
Allaah knows best.
Search Fatwa
Fatwa Subject
