Fatwa ID: 07809

Answered by Mawlana Muhammad Zubair Khan Alizai 

Question: 

I work as a catering assistant in a primary school. My job is to make sandwiches, salad and cutting fruits. Sandwiches include ham, chicken, tuna and cheese. Is it possible for me to do the job and would my income be halal? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer: 

Generally speaking, it would be permissible to work as a catering assistant when making sandwiches for the school children. However, the issue is with the ham sandwiches and as pork is totally unlawful in Islam there is a need to clarify some things. 

In Islam, pork is totally forbidden and anything related to pork is also forbidden, such as its meat, hooves, hair etc. Just like consuming pork is unlawful similarly buying, selling, serving and giving pork would likewise be unlawful because it is najas ul ayn i.e. everything connected to the pig is haraam. 

I would suggest; 

1. That you speak with your line manager and explain the situation clearly that in Islam pork is prohibited and if it’s possible someone else prepares ham sandwiches and you can prepare the rest. 

1. If that is not possible then you should try to see how much time goes into preparing ham sandwiches, if it is only a small portion of time that goes into making them, then, for now, it would be excusable but still severely disliked, and if its something that takes more than a small portion of time then it would be unlawful to work at such a place. 

1. Whilst you are working at your present place you should try to find another suitable job where you wouldn’t have to prepare unlawful food, and also ask Allah Taala to make things easy for you and give you a better job.

References: 

1. الفتاوى العالمكيرية الفتاوى الهندية المكتبة دار الفكر المجلد ٥ الصفحة ٣٤١

وَلَا يَسْقِي أَبَاهُ الْكَافِرَ خَمْرًا، وَلَا يُنَاوِلُهُ الْقَدَحَ وَيَأْخُذُ مِنْهُ، وَلَا يَذْهَبُ بِهِ إلَى الْبَيْعَةِ وَيَرُدُّهُ عَنْهَا وَيُوقِدُ تَحْتَ قِدْرِهِ إذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا مَيْتَةٌ أَوْ لَحْمُ خِنْزِيرٍ، وَلَا يَحْضُرُ الْمُسْلِمُ مَائِدَةً يُشْرَبُ فِيهَا خَمْرٌ أَوْ تُؤْكَلُ الْمَيْتَةُ

1. رد المحتار على الدر المختار المجلد ١ الصفحة ٢٠٤ المكتبة دار الفكر

(قَوْلُهُ فَلَا يَطْهُرُ) أَيْ؛ لِأَنَّهُ نَجِسُ الْعَيْنِ، بِمَعْنَى أَنَّ ذَاتَهُ بِجَمِيعِ أَجْزَائِهِ نَجِسَةٌ حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا … 

Only Allah knows best 

Written by Mawlana Muhammad Zubair Khan Alizai

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah 

Darul Ifta Birmingham