Is my work in cleaning apartments and collecting empty, sorted alcohol bottles forbidden (haram)? If so, what is its expiation?
Intoxicants (khamr) have been forbidden because of their intoxicating effect. It is permissible to collect empty intoxicating beverage containers for recycling and to use them for permissible purposes, as long as they are not re-used for bottling intoxicants. As for cleaning apartments and places, there is a detailed ruling: if they are ordinary residential dwellings, it is permissible to clean them. However, if they are prepared for drinking intoxicants, such as pubs and bars, then cleaning them is prohibited, as it constitutes aiding in sin, based on the Almighty's saying: (And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression) Al-Ma'idah/2.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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