Answered by: Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Question
Is it permissible to work in a factory where one has to pack pork and bacon using gloves?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Answer:
Allah (SWT) says: “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
And so you must not aid in the selling by direct or indirect means of wine, pork or lottery tickets. Rather jobs that entail these should be avoided. The wider economy of the non-Muslim society we find ourselves in is not dependent on these matters for its survival, and so it cannot be said that it is forced reality that the jobs that all or most jobs are linked to selling these products are the only jobs. There are jobs that pay more or less, in places far and close that do not involve not only the potential sin but also the desensitisation to it. To conclude, it is impermissible, one must seek forgiveness, and if one feels forced to earn a living like this under dire circumstances, one should seek forgiveness and look for another job whilst in that state. May Allah (SWT) make your matters easy.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham