Fatwa ID: 05468
Answered by: Alimah Habiba Akhtar
Question:
- My one friend has a convenience store, he is selling cigarettes, he does not want to use cigarettes profits for himself. Can he use that for poor people? & for masjid facilities ( not inside masjid) outside like parking/bathrooms/ walkway?
- Can he use his zakat for any Islamic school funding?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The basis of the ruling for running a cigarette business comes down to the ruling of consuming cigarettes.
Scholars all over the world differ regarding the ruling of cigarettes.
According to some Hanafi scholars, it is considered makrooh to smoke and thus consume cigarettes. This is due to the negative and harmful effect cigarettes have on the body. (1) Thus it is disliked to smoke cigarettes.
Now, what will be the ruling if selling such items?
As the consumption of such items is makrooh, thus the selling of these things will also be makruh. Though the earnings won’t be haram due to the business not being haram but the profits should be distributed to charity instead. (2)
Thus, in response to your query about spending the profits on charity, this will be most suitable and can be used for facilities or feeding the poor as it wouldn’t be appropriate to consume contaminated wealth.
On the other hand, in response to your query regarding Zakat given to school funding, this will not be acceptable.
The reason for this is the Quranic verse wherein Allah SWT lists the eligible recipients of Zakat. Consider the following verse 60 of Surah Tawbah:
“Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (3)
Hence, it can be established that Zakat can only be given to one of the above 8 recipients excluding bringing hearts together (those whose hearts are to be reconciled) due to Islam being dignified and become independent from needing to pay Zakat to call non-believers to Islam. (4).
Thus, Zakat will not be allowed to be paid towards an Islamic school though Sadqa may be given.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
(1)
يكره أكل ما يضر البدن كالتراب و الطين و نحوهما و شربه. اعلم أن المضرات للبدن من المأكولات و المشروبات ثلاثة أقسام:
١. قسم ضرره ظاهر مهلك كالسم و الزجاج و الحديد و الزيبق و الجص و ما أشبه ذلك فيحرم أكله جامدا و شربه مائعا.
٢. و قسم ضرره ظاهر و لكن غير مهلك كالتراب و الطين و الحجر و نحوها فيكره أكها جامدة و شربها مائعة إلا قليل تراب في ماء.
٣.و قسم ضرره غير ظاهر
(Dararul Mubahah fi Hazar Wal ibahah, Page 44, Dar Ibn hazam)
(2)
قوله وصح بيع غير الخمر أي عنده خلافا لهما في البيع والضمان، لكن الفتوى على قوله في البيع، وعلى قولهما في الضمان إن قصد المتلف الحسبة وذلك يعرف بالقرائن، وإلا فعلى قوله كما في التتارخانية وغيرها.ثم إن البيع وإن صح لكنه يكره كما في الغاية
Raddul Mukhtar, Vol 6, Page 454, Darul Fikr Beirut
(3)
(۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلۡفُقَرَاۤءِ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِینِ وَٱلۡعَـٰمِلِینَ عَلَیۡهَا وَٱلۡمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَفِی ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلۡغَـٰرِمِینَ وَفِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِیلِۖ فَرِیضَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِیمٌ حَكِیمࣱ)
[Surah At-Tawbah 60]
(4)
قال ياله: الأصل فيه قوله تعالى: « إنما الصدقات للفقراءه الآية. فهذه لمانية أصناف، وقد سقط منها المؤلفة قلوبهم؛ لأن الله تعالى أعز الإسلام، وأغنى عنهم،* وعلى ذلك انعقد الإجماع.
(Hidayah, Vol 2, Page 68, Maktab Bushra)
