Fatwa ID: 07651
Answered by: Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Question
I would like to know what is the opinion in Hanafi school regarding working in Ireland in gas station or grocery stores like Londis, Lidl, Aldi, Tesco etc. where our job is to work on the checkout scanning items, filling shelves. On checkout, we also have to sell lottery tickets and scratch cards but most of the work is of selling halal items
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
Working as a retail assistant in Ireland in a gas station or grocery store like Londis, Lidl, Aldi, Tesco etc. where your job is to assist customers with their purchases, to be on duty at the checkout, filling shelves, and maintaining a clean and organised store environment is generally permissible. The job is permissible under the condition that it does not involve encouraging and promoting haram products and services to others.
Allah commands us in the Quran: 1
{Help one another to do what is right and good; do not help one another towards sin and hostility. Be mindful of God, for His punishment is severe.} [Maidah: v2]
On the other hand, selling lottery tickets and scratch cards is considered haram. This is an additional merchandise above the services being provided which is not readily available on the shelves and requires assistance. Thus, you have the choice to request your employer to assign you duties which align with your faith.
Allah cautions us about being mindful:
{If the people of those towns had believed and been mindful of God, We would have showered them with blessings from the heavens and earth, but they rejected the truth and so We punished them for their misdeeds.} [Al-A’raf: 69] 2
Being mindful requires that we stand firm and protect ourselves from falling into sin by assisting in haram. As Muslims we are required to place our hope for provision and reward only in Allah. Based on this, it is advisable to request your manager for alternative duties to replace the assisting with lottery tickets and scratch cards and avoid it as much as is possible. May Allah make it easy.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۖ ِ
2 لَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ وَ
