Q 1: There is a man working in a newspaper in Egypt. He writes news and prepares paid advertisements in support to those who defy Allah and His Messenger. He works as an intermediary between the newspaper and people. He goes to merchants and urges them to advertise. They pay money for the sake of advertising their products in this newspaper. The revenues of these advertisements are used in supporting tyrant rulers. This person receives a ratio of these revenues in return for urging people to do that. Is the money he receives lawful? If this money is unlawful, can my brothers, sisters and I eat from these earnings? Moreover, my father has another income from another governmental job. The money he earns from this work is lawful.

A: Firstly: Working in serving those who defy Allah and His Messenger is not permissible because it a sort of cooperation in evil and transgression that was forbidden by Allah in His saying: Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. Secondly: (Part No. 15; Page No. 103) The money earned due to cooperation with them in evil matters is unlawful. Thirdly: If the money earned by your father through working with those who defy Allah and His Messenger can be distinguished from other lawful gains, you are not permitted to eat from it. But if this money is mixed together and you can not distinguish between lawful and unlawful gains, you will be permitted to eat from it according to the soundest opinion of scholars. But you are recommended not to eat from it to be on the safe side, especially when the unlawful gains exceed the lawful ones. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.