Q: I have been practicing Islam for maybe nearly two years and I keep getting into situations that a difficult and hard for me, because I do not know what is the best thing to do at certain times.
- One thing I am not sure about is if it is cooperating in sin and transgression / disrespectful to Allah / sinful if a Muslim helped a non-Muslim family member tidy up (the non-Muslims) empty beer bottles and also helped the non-Muslim family member by tidying up haram food packaging?
- What is best for the Muslim to do if the Muslim wants to help the non-Muslim clean plates/tables that had haram food left over’s on them?
The non-Muslim family member has physical health problems and sometimes struggles with cleaning and the Muslim wants to also help the non-Muslim family member realize Islam is the truth.
A: Tidying up is permissible but asking to clean the haraam itself is not allowed.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Q: I am worried that if I tell people that I can not help them with cleaning haram things up they may say things like "you are following the wrong Islam" "you are listening to the wrong people" "do not listen to Pakistanis" "find an Arab (presumably an Arab that agrees with what ever they say)" "we have to follow "Modern Islam" so that people are attracted to Islam" -basically ( I think) Modern as is > break the rules of Islam for the sake of making it look easier to follow/more pleasing to non Muslims so they are not pushed away from Islam...
I get things like this said to me a lot, recently I would not babysit for a Muslim family member because he was going to a non-Muslim funeral and I did not want to (possibly) cooperate in sin and transgression and I was basically subjected to the above types of statements by non-Muslims, it is really hurtful for me to be treated like this -similarly, when I rejected an invitation to my other non-Muslim sisters (non religious) wedding and also when I do not go to family related birthdays, I get these types of things said to me.
Please can you explain in more detail why I might not be allowed to help someone tidy up empty haram food packaging and haram food covered plates? At least then I may be able to back up that I am not misguided/following false Islam etc.
-the family member went into hospital yesterday (for a possible paranoid related health problem) and I fear that I may get told things like "she is
your sister" "she needs help" "she is unwell" "it does not matter if you tidy things up, it is not you who ate the haram" "she is not a Muslim, so she can eat what she likes" (even though I am not forbidding her to eat haram foods) "you can make an exception in this case" "stop listening to Pakistanis" (even if I let them know the person they are referring to is not even a Pakistani...)etc.
A: It is reported in the Mubaarak Hadith that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "It is impermissible for one to obey the creation in matters wherein one will disobey Allah Ta'ala." Hence we should be more concerned about fulfilling the commands of Allah Ta'ala then being concerned about the opinions and remarks of people.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Checked & Approved: