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:

Dear brother salaam,
I will try to b short,is it ok to rent one`s shop, office premisis,or any spare space of even house for the hosting new year,valentine,christmas parties etc. bearing in mind that all the the things that take place in a disco wud happen like loud blasting music,free flowing alcohol, men and women dancing together to cheap no# in the cheapest way possible.
Is this rental eanings justified in anyways???because some one known 2 me (who is jamati) had consulted a mufti regarding the above issue. He was told that it was permissable.
Pls reply asap as i wud like to print n send ur answer to our brother.
allahafiz

(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:

Is it legal to rent premises for haraam purpose?

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.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 2: Help ye (O believers) one another in righteousness and piety but help ye not one another in sin and rancor. Fear Allah!; for Allah is strict in punishment.

If one knows for sure that the people he rents his premises to would indulge in the haraam like alcohol, ‘fahisha’ (indecency), etc., it would better and purer for him to fear Allah and abstain from associating or profiting in any way from such transactions.

Your Question: Is this rental eanings justified in anyways???

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.267 Narrated by An Numan bin Bashir

The Prophet (saws) said "Both halaal and haraam things are obvious, and in between them are (suspicious) doubtful matters. So whoever forsakes those doubtful things lest he may commit a sin, will definitely avoid what is clearly illegal; and whoever indulges in these (suspicious) doubtful things bravely, is likely to commit what is clearly illegal. Sins are Allah's Hima (i.e. private pasture) and whoever pastures (his sheep) near it, is likely to get in it at any moment."

If the person who owns or rents the property is not involved in participating in the haraam himself, one cannot declare with conviction that the rental earnings of the property would be haraam earnings; but if one does rent his property knowing that the haraam would be committed in his premises, he would definitely be responsible for being an accomplice in the performance of the haraam, and thus earn a part of the sin.

Even in the laws of this world, when a nation or government declares something as absolutely forbidden; be it drugs, or alcohol, or prostitution, or gambling, or ‘terrorism’, etc.; if one knowingly shelters, associates, or facilitates in any way with those who indulge in doing the crime, they will be charged and prosecuted by the state for being an accomplice to the crime.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan