What can I do, and is it permissible for me to eat from the food provided by the organizing body of the Jerash Festival for Arts, specializing in dance and music, and to accept the remuneration offered by them, knowing that I work as an accountant and have been seconded to work in the festival's financial committee to sell tickets and perform financial and accounting oversight of its revenues, and that I tried to refuse the secondment but was unable to do so?

It is not permissible to obey officials at work regarding participation in the festival, due to the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "There is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator." Whoever obeys them shares in their sin. The money and food obtained from this are unlawful and must be disposed of by spending them on the welfare of Muslims. It is not permissible to bring a substitute to perform this work, as it constitutes cooperation in sin and aggression. Allah Almighty says: "And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression." You must love for your brother what you love for yourself.

The advice is to try to convince the officials to exempt you. If they insist on your performing the work, then leave this job. Allah will compensate you with something better than it. Allah Almighty says: "And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect."