Fatwa ID: 06776

 

Answered by: Maulana Abdel Sheik Abdel Ahad

 

Question:

 

Can you work at McDonald’s as the chicken and meat they serve in the UK is haram? All other food served is Halal. Please advise.

 

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

Allah the highest states:

 

وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ٢

“Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment.”

 

Although an action that is a means for a sin being committed will not be regarded as assisting in forbidden acts, some scholars have used the term (Assisting in Forbidden Acts) اعانة على المعصية for such actions too, as they are similar to each other.

 

These are then categorized into 3 different types:

 

1 – Those actions that are directly related to the sin and are a means for the sin coming into existence, in such a way that if the action did not take place the sin would not have been committed.

 

For example, using abusive language in regard to the idols that the disbelievers worship will result in the disbelievers reviling Allah Ta’ala. Thus, in Verse 6:108 of the Holy Quran, Muslims are prohibited from using abusive language in regard to the idols the disbelievers worship.

 

 

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَدْوًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ ۗ

 

“Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they should revile Allah in transgression without having knowledge.”

 

 

2 – Those actions that are directly related to the sin, but are not a means for the sin to come into existence. For example, one sells grape juice to a person who will make wine out of it, but the person selling the grape juice does not intend to make wine out of it.

 

The ruling regarding such actions will be that if the person had knowledge of the sin being committed, the action will be makrooh tahrimi (prohibitively disliked); and if the person did not have knowledge of the sin being committed, the action will be makrooh tanzihi (reprehensible).

 

3 -Those actions that are not directly related to the sin, but become a means for the evil to be committed at a later stage. For example, a person sells grapes to another person who will later make it into grape juice to make wine from it.

 

Such actions are permissible but will be makrooh tanzihi (reprehensible) if the person knows that the sin will be committed. [Jawahirul Fiqh Vol7 P510]

 

 

After understanding the above, you should see if you are directly involved or being a means to selling haram food. If it is as such, then you will not be allowed to work there.

 

If your job is entirely not related to it, as cleaning, security etc., then it should be fine although finding another job that keeps you away from haram will be better.

 

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdel Sheik Abdel Ahad

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham