Why it is Not Haram to work in a Restaurant That Serves Pork
C.J Ahmed-17.05.2023
It is not haram to work in a restaurant that serves pork because there is a difference between eating pork and selling it.
Hadiths where selling silk was allowed
Narrated Ibn `Umar:
`Umar saw a silken cloak being sold in the market and he brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Buy this cloak and adorn yourself with it on the `Id festivals and on meeting the delegations." Allah's Messenger (sal) replied, "This is the dress for the one who will have no share in the Hereafter (or, this is worn by one who will have no share in the Hereafter)." After sometime had passed, Allah's Messenger (sal) sent a silken cloak to `Umar. `Umar took it and brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! You have said that this is the dress of that who will have no share in the Hereafter (or, this is worn by one who will have no share in the Hereafter), yet you have sent me this!" The Prophet (sal) said," I have sent it) so that you may sell it or fulfill with it some of your needs." (Sahih al Bukhari)
Another narration said the following,
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
`Umar saw a silk suit being sold, so he said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Why don't you buy it so that you may wear it when delegates come to you, and also on Fridays?" The Prophet (sal) said, "This is worn only by him who has no share in the Hereafter." Afterwards the Prophet (sal) sent to `Umar a silk suit suitable for wearing. `Umar said to the Prophet, "You have given it to me to wear, yet I have heard you saying about it what you said?" The Prophet (sal) said, "I sent it to you so that you might either sell it or give it to somebody else to wear."(Sahih al Bukhari)
Narrated Ibn `Umar
My father, seeing a silken cloak being sold, said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Buy this and wear it on Fridays and when the foreign delegates pay a visit to you." He said, "This is worn only by that person who will have no share in the Hereafter." Later a few silken cloaks were given to the Prophet (sal) as a gift, and he sent one of those cloaks to `Umar. `Umar said (to the Prophet), "How can I wear it while you have said about it what you said?" The Prophet (sal) said, "I did not give it to you to wear but to sell or to give to someone else to wear." So `Umar sent it to his (pagan) brother who was from the inhabitants of Mecca before he (`Umar's brother) embraced Islam. (Sahih al Bukhari)
Abdullah b. Umar reported:
'Umar b. at-Khattab found a silk garment being sold in the market; he purchased it and brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said: Allah's Messenger, get it and adorn yourself (by wearing it) on the 'Id (days) and for the delegation. Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (sal) said: That is the dress of one who has no share (in the Hereafter). 'Umar stayed there so long as Allah wished. Then Allah's Messenger (sal) sent him a silk cloak. 'Umar came back with that to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said: Allah's Messenger. you said that it is the dress of one who has no share in the Hereafter, but then you sent it to me. Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (sal) said: Sell it and benefit from its price” (Bukhari and Muslim)
From th above authentic hadiths the prophet (sal) allowed selling silk which was forbidden to be worn by men. Similarly, selling other things which are haram such as pork to non-Muslims and earning a living is also halal in Islam.
There are some scholars who have forbidden the selling of pork is haram irrespective to who m it is sold. They use the following verse in the Quran,
Allah says,
“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of alcohol (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering”
(Al-Quran-6:145)
They also use the following hadiths as well,
And the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us an important principle when he said: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” )Narrated by Abu Dawud, graded authentic by Shaykh al-Albani)
It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say when he was in Makkah at the time of the Conquest: “Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead meat, pork and idols.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think of the fat of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal skins are daubed with it, and the people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is haraam.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews, for when Allaah forbade them animal fat, they melted it down and sold it, and consumed its price.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Reconciling the Various Hadiths on Drinking While Standing
The thing that has gone wrong among Muslims is that many have only come to a conclusion based on one or two hadiths and have not reconciled all the available sahih hadiths on the subject. As a result of this, they fall in to misjudged opinions and assumptions. there are similar examples of prophet(sal) forbidding one thing in one hadith and allowed it in another hadith. For an example,
Abu Hurayrah (rali) related that a man asked the Prophet (sal) about a fasting person
fondling [his wife] and he allowed it for him. Another asked him and he forbade
it. The one who he permitted was an old man and the one he forbade was a young
Man (Abu Dawud-graded Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith it is very clear that the prophet (sal) forbade the young man because his sexual urge is strong and would not have been able to control his urge and would have broken his fast by having intercourse with his wife.(by penetrating his penis on to her vagina). the reason for allowing the old man was because he could control his urge. these are supported by so many other authentic narrations.
It is not haram to work in a restaurant that serves pork because there is a difference between eating pork and selling it.
Hadiths where selling silk was allowed
Narrated Ibn `Umar:
`Umar saw a silken cloak being sold in the market and he brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Buy this cloak and adorn yourself with it on the `Id festivals and on meeting the delegations." Allah's Messenger (sal) replied, "This is the dress for the one who will have no share in the Hereafter (or, this is worn by one who will have no share in the Hereafter)." After sometime had passed, Allah's Messenger (sal) sent a silken cloak to `Umar. `Umar took it and brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! You have said that this is the dress of that who will have no share in the Hereafter (or, this is worn by one who will have no share in the Hereafter), yet you have sent me this!" The Prophet (sal) said," I have sent it) so that you may sell it or fulfill with it some of your needs." (Sahih al Bukhari)
Another narration said the following,
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
`Umar saw a silk suit being sold, so he said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Why don't you buy it so that you may wear it when delegates come to you, and also on Fridays?" The Prophet (sal) said, "This is worn only by him who has no share in the Hereafter." Afterwards the Prophet (sal) sent to `Umar a silk suit suitable for wearing. `Umar said to the Prophet, "You have given it to me to wear, yet I have heard you saying about it what you said?" The Prophet (sal) said, "I sent it to you so that you might either sell it or give it to somebody else to wear."(Sahih al Bukhari)
Narrated Ibn `Umar
My father, seeing a silken cloak being sold, said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Buy this and wear it on Fridays and when the foreign delegates pay a visit to you." He said, "This is worn only by that person who will have no share in the Hereafter." Later a few silken cloaks were given to the Prophet (sal) as a gift, and he sent one of those cloaks to `Umar. `Umar said (to the Prophet), "How can I wear it while you have said about it what you said?" The Prophet (sal) said, "I did not give it to you to wear but to sell or to give to someone else to wear." So `Umar sent it to his (pagan) brother who was from the inhabitants of Mecca before he (`Umar's brother) embraced Islam. (Sahih al Bukhari)
Abdullah b. Umar reported:
'Umar b. at-Khattab found a silk garment being sold in the market; he purchased it and brought it to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said: Allah's Messenger, get it and adorn yourself (by wearing it) on the 'Id (days) and for the delegation. Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (sal) said: That is the dress of one who has no share (in the Hereafter). 'Umar stayed there so long as Allah wished. Then Allah's Messenger (sal) sent him a silk cloak. 'Umar came back with that to Allah's Messenger (sal) and said: Allah's Messenger. you said that it is the dress of one who has no share in the Hereafter, but then you sent it to me. Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (sal) said: Sell it and benefit from its price” (Bukhari and Muslim)
From th above authentic hadiths the prophet (sal) allowed selling silk which was forbidden to be worn by men. Similarly, selling other things which are haram such as pork to non-Muslims and earning a living is also halal in Islam.
There are some scholars who have forbidden the selling of pork is haram irrespective to who m it is sold. They use the following verse in the Quran,
Allah says,
“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of alcohol (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering”
(Al-Quran-6:145)
They also use the following hadiths as well,
And the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught us an important principle when he said: “When Allaah forbids a thing, He (also) forbids its price.” )Narrated by Abu Dawud, graded authentic by Shaykh al-Albani)
It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say when he was in Makkah at the time of the Conquest: “Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead meat, pork and idols.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what do you think of the fat of dead animals, for ships are caulked with it and animal skins are daubed with it, and the people use it to light their lamps?” He said: “No, it is haraam.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews, for when Allaah forbade them animal fat, they melted it down and sold it, and consumed its price.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Reconciling the Various Hadiths on Drinking While Standing
The thing that has gone wrong among Muslims is that many have only come to a conclusion based on one or two hadiths and have not reconciled all the available sahih hadiths on the subject. As a result of this, they fall in to misjudged opinions and assumptions. there are similar examples of prophet(sal) forbidding one thing in one hadith and allowed it in another hadith. For an example,
Abu Hurayrah (rali) related that a man asked the Prophet (sal) about a fasting person
fondling [his wife] and he allowed it for him. Another asked him and he forbade
it. The one who he permitted was an old man and the one he forbade was a young
Man (Abu Dawud-graded Sahih by Albani)
In this hadith it is very clear that the prophet (sal) forbade the young man because his sexual urge is strong and would not have been able to control his urge and would have broken his fast by having intercourse with his wife.(by penetrating his penis on to her vagina). the reason for allowing the old man was because he could control his urge. these are supported by so many other authentic narrations.