Q 1: Some people work in distributing advertisements and they would put posters in front of doors. Every supermarket has a special flier and there are advertisements about shops that sell shoes, furniture and foodstuffs. There are shops that advertise rice, sugar, alcohol, cows, sheep and pork. What is the ruling on distributing such advertisement? Some people who distribute advertisements about foodstuffs throw advertisements that advertise alcohol and pork in the trash without telling the owners of these advertisements. Moreover, they receive the fees for distributing them. What is the ruling on this money? Some European scholars said: "Alcohol and pork are lawful in the legal law of those people." Does it mean that we can work in shops that serve alcohol and pork flesh? What is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you well!

A: Muslims are not permitted to sell alcohol or pork. Neither are they permitted to cooperate (Part No. 14; Page No. 430) with others in promoting forbidden items by marketing, advertising or posting advertisements that promote them. Doing so is a type of cooperation in evil and transgression. Allah (Exalted be He) forbids this in His statement: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment. The money received by the employee in return for posting advertisement of prohibited commodities is unlawful even if he throws these advertisements away. Moreover, throwing advertisements of unlawful commodity in the trash does not permit him to receive this money as it is a form of taking people's money illegally. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.