Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

I wish to know in the light of Islam that is it wrong to cultivate poppy ? Keeping in mind that after cutting the crop you know that who ever is buying the poppy crop will use it for the wrong means. Does it make the cultivator as guilty as the buyer?

people are growing poppy crops and selling it for high profits. Please help me on this. Thank you.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Cultivating poppy

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The cultivation of poppy by itself is not forbidden in Islam, just as the cultivation and trading in grapes is allowed. But if one has prior knowledge that the products he cultivates will be manufactured into haraam products, or if one cultivates the products with the sole intention to sell his products to those who indulge in the haraam; then he would indeed be a partner in the sin.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 42.15

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that some men from Iraq said to him, "Abu Abd ar-Rahman, we buy the fruit of the palm and grapes and we squeeze them into wine and we sell it." Abdullah ibn Umar said, "I call on Allah, and His Angels, and whoever hears of jinn and men to testify to you that I order you not to buy it, nor sell it, nor to press it, nor to drink it, nor to give it to people to drink. It is something impure from the work of Shaytan."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan