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Is it permissible to work in a store that sells prohibited items, and to deal with these prohibited items in a superficial manner to avoid dismissal, while isolating the illicit money and spending it on essential household bills?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is forbidden to sell statues, crosses, and pictures of animate beings, based on the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcoholic beverages, dead animals, swine, and idols." Everything whose sale is forbidden, marketing it is also forbidden. These three matters - selling what is forbidden, marketing it, and displaying its picture without marketing - are forbidden because they involve direct engagement in a forbidden contract or aiding in it, based on the Almighty's saying: "And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression," and the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever calls to misguidance will have a sin similar to the sins of those who follow him."

If the money obtained from displaying pictures of forbidden things, it is unlawful money that must be disposed of by giving it as charity to the poor and needy, along with repentance and striving to find lawful work. However, if the work is limited to selling permissible items, then the salary is lawful, and the presence of forbidden items on the site does not harm it.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy