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Fatwa CenterMixing deadly methanol with alcohol to sell to tourists
Question
Assalaamu alaykum Brother. May Allaah, The Exalted, bless you. I would like to ask the following question: In some parts of Indonesia, the locals mix a deadly substance called methanol into alcoholic drinks and sell this to unsuspecting tourists. The methanol is mixed in to save the locals money, but this is deadly and has caused some tourists to become permanently blind and has even caused death. I am aware that consuming alcohol is a sin, but what is the ruling on merchants who mix this potentially lethal substance into alcoholic drinks to increase their profits at the expense of other people's lives? Will the victims who have suffered any harm be compensated on the day of judgement? Please advise. May Allaah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
There are different opinions on whether methanol is intoxicating or not. However, it is proven that methanol contains a toxic, deadly substance; this is a sufficient reason to declare it unlawful for use. The Islamic Sharia bans everything that causes all kinds of harm. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.} [Quran 4:29]
Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "Harm may neither be inflicted nor reciprocated in Islam." [Ahmad]
This is as far as the first part of the question is concerned.
As for the second part, the victim has a right over the one who harmed him. If he does not receive compensation in the worldly life and does not pardon the one who harmed him, then his right is established for him on the Day of Judgment. It is then that retribution among people will take place through the exchange of good and bad deeds. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "Do you know who the bankrupt one is?" They (the Companions) said, "The bankrupt one among us is one who has neither money with him nor any property." He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "The truly bankrupt one of my followers is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and zakah, but he comes having abused some people, slandered some, unlawfully consumed the wealth of some, shed the blood of some, and beaten some, so each of them is given some of his good deeds. If his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then some of their sins are tossed on him and he is thrown in the Hellfire." [Muslim]
Allah knows best.
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