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:

Is it ok to own a franchise, but not receive any profits from alcoholic beverages, and only benefit from the food, soft drinks and merchandise? The franchise is a successful cafe/bar which I am interested in opening in my country and was thinking of bringing in a Christian partner to take care of profits from alcohol.

(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:

Trading of alcohol

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 none 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 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?

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2776 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) invoked the curse of Allah on ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.

Dear and beloved brother, there are only a handful of things for which Shariah Law prescribes absolute ‘zero-tolerance’, and without an iota, the issue of ‘khamr’ or all types of intoxicants is one amongst them!

Not only has ‘khamr’ (intoxicants, wine, etc.) been declared absolutely haraam in Shariah, the Lord Most High Has Commanded the believers who sincerely fear Him and the Last Day to ‘eschew’ or stay ‘far far away from it’!!

In light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, it would simply not befit, and it would be absolutely forbidden for a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to associate himself in any way whatsoever with ‘khamr’ or any type or form of intoxicants.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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 and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan