Answered by: Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Question
I have an alcohol shop just beside my home and the smell of alcohol always comes to my home and my kitchen (Which is in the corner of my home). As alcohol is haram in Islam, is it permissible to cook in that kitchen? Also, as we are performing gunah (Sins) living in the home, does it cause any harm to our ibadah?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In origin, the smell of alcohol, as is also found in perfume, is not impermissible to smell, nor is it one of the categories related to actions that revolve around alcohol. As stated in Hadith in Sunan Abi Dawood (3189) it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them both) said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has cursed alcohol, the one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, the one who squeezes it (squeezes the grapes, etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who carries it and the one to whom it is carried.”
However, it is understandable that you find the smell of such an intoxicant distasteful and that you try your best to avoid even the dust of what is impermissible. So if you can pursue your local council in relation to air pollution, especially from commercial premises, they may be able to help.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Moinul Abu Hamza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham