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:

I attended a farewell party in honour of my ex-boss,who was a very nice man & kind to me.Liquor was served in that party which I did not drink.I was sitting on one side.Later on, dinner was served which I attended.My niah was just to extend my gratitude to my ex-boss.Was it haraam to attend the party?Have I done a sin by attending that party because I knew that liquor would be served there?Usually, I do not attend any such party.

(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:

Can one attend a party where alcohol is served?

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.

Your Question: Was it haraam to attend the party?Have I done a sin by attending that party because I knew that liquor would be served there?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:O you who have believed! ‘Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants), games of chance, idols, and divining arrows are all abominable works of Shaitaan; therefore, stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success. Indeed, Shaitaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling, and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah. Will you not, then, abstain from these things?

Allah Subhanah has commanded the believers to stay far away from any and all types of intoxicants, and the Messenger of Allah (saws) explicitly forbade the believers to sit or join in a gathering where alcohol is served.

Thus, if one had prior knowledge that alcohol was being served at the party, it would have been purer and better for him to abstain from it, for Allah has a bigger right than our employers in regards to our gratitude!

It is indeed a sin to attend a gathering where alcohol is served. If one has attended such a gathering unknowingly, he should immediately turn to his Merciful Creator and seek sincere repentance, and make a solemn covenant with Him that he will never do so in the future. He Will, Insha Allah, find his Lord Forgiving and Merciful.

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