Prohibited to Work in What is Used in Prohibited Ways

5-3-2019 | IslamWeb

Question:

Asak may allah guide us all to oaradise without punishment.I have a business where we work woth builders kn installing security systems vacuum systems camera systems internet systems soeaker systems and provisions for tvs. Is it a haram business. Thank you very much
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 sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The basic principle about the work that you mentioned in the question is that it is lawful, unless you know that these matters will be used in forbidden ways; in which case, it is not permissible for you to trade in them.

However, just doubting that they will be used in forbidden ways, or that this is just a probability, then this does not make it forbidden to trade in them as long as they (systems) are in principle permissible.

Ibn Qudaamah may Allaah have mercy upon him said:

"Selling juice to someone who will turn it into wine is void; for example, it is forbidden for someone to sell juice to someone whom he believes that he will turn it into wine [..] If this is confirmed, then the sale is forbidden and void if the seller knows that the buyer has this intention, either by his statements or by some indications that demonstrate and prove this. However, if the matter is just probable, such as when someone buys them while the seller does not know his intention (or purpose), or he sells them to someone who makes both vinegar and wine, and he (the buyer) did not mention something which indicates that he will use it to make wine; then, in this case, the sale is permissible [..] This is the ruling about everything behind which the intent is forbidden." [End of quote -Abridged]

The Standing Committee for Research and issuing Fataawa was asked:

"What is the ruling on dealing in women’s adornments and selling them when the seller knows that the one who is buying them will adorn herself with them in front of non-mahram men on the streets, based on him seeing how she appears in front of him, and as is common, unfortunately, in some areas (or countries)?"

They replied:

"It is not permissible to sell it if the seller knows that the one who is buying it is going to use it in ways that Allah has forbidden, because that is helping in sin and transgression. But if he knows that the buyer is going to adorn herself for her husband with it, or he does not know anything, then it is permissible for him to sell it (to her)." [End of quote]

Allah knows best.

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