Is it permissible for my father to collect rent from a shop used for trading and selling cigarettes, and what is the ruling on the money collected in past months if it was unlawful?
Smoking is prohibited due to its harm. Renting shops to tobacco sellers is prohibited because it falls under aiding in sin and aggression, which Allah has forbidden in His saying: (And do not cooperate in sin and aggression). Jurists have explicitly stated the prohibition of renting properties to those who will use them to sell prohibited items. If the lessor knows of the prohibition of smoking and expects the lessee to sell it, then the contract is void, and the rent is unlawful. This rent must be spent on the welfare of Muslims, and one must repent and annul the contract. If the lessor was unaware of the prohibition of smoking or the lessee's intent to sell it, then there is no blame on him for the first rent, but he is obliged to annul the contract or prevent the sale of tobacco.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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