Is It Permissible for Me to Assist in the Construction of a Building That May Be Used for Sin?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
The answer in the link below is quite comprehensive, but I’d like to make sure it applies to all buildings, not just churches, such as theatres and other public spaces that may be used for sin:
Is it permissible for a Muslim to work in constructing a church?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
As Shaykh writes and mentions in his above answer. For you, I’ll rephrase the answer.
Yes, as a worker, you could work on a construction project to build a theatre or something similar, but not in Muslim lands or Muslim areas. It is preferable to avoid this whenever possible. Still, the employment itself is halal because the work itself is permissible (laying a foundation, bricklaying, carpentry work, electrics, plumbing, decorating, landscaping), and the earnings are halal. At the same time, one’s duty as a Muslim is to oppose what the theatre will be used for.
Allah Most High commanded us not to assist others in sin and vice.
Assistance in Sin
In the Hanafi school, this has levels:
- It is haram to do that which is a direct cause for sin;
- It is disliked doing that which is an indirect cause for sin;
- It is better to avoid that which could be a cause for sin.
The distinctions are subtle, however, and one should consult with scholars regarding particular cases. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear. Between them are unclear matters that most do not know about.” (Bukhari; Muslim) [Ibn ’Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Zaylai, Tabyin al-Haqaiq]
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.
