Back to search

Is it permissible to steal unlawful things (such as alcohol and musical instruments) from a place without the owner's knowledge, under the pretext of destroying them?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible for a Muslim to steal alcohol or musical instruments with the intention of destroying them, because intervention with the hand is for those in authority, and intervention by others may lead to greater harm, and the perpetrator may be accused regarding their religious commitment. What is obligatory upon a Muslim who does not have authority is to denounce with their tongue if they are able, and if they are unable, then with their heart, according to the saying of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable, then with his tongue; if he is unable, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy