Is it permissible to destroy another person's forbidden item to deter them from the haram?
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Question:
I work with a colleague at the same desk, and when my colleague goes to pray, he puts cigarettes in the desk drawer. I took them and destroyed them because they are forbidden by the Shari'ah. My question is: Is my action correct, given that my colleague is demanding the value of the cigarettes from me?
Answer:
It is not permissible for you to take the cigarettes and burn them; he will just go and buy another. The solution is that you advise him, admonish him, and remind him of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so that perhaps he will be convinced and leave it off out of conviction. As for taking them in the first place, you are not authorized to do so. This is the right of the rulers; they are the ones who destroy forbidden things. Those who hold authority do this. As for a person who has no authority, he does not forbid evil with his hand, but only with his tongue: he admonishes and reminds.
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 49a He divided the people into three levels: the one who is able to forbid evil with his hand forbids it with his hand, and that is the ruler or the one the ruler appoints. The one who has no authority forbids it with his tongue through admonition, reminding, or reporting it to the people of hisbah (those in charge of enforcing public morality). This is forbidding with the tongue. And if he is not able to do so with his hand or his tongue, he forbids it with his heart, hating the evil and its people, and staying away from them. Yes.
I work with a colleague at the same desk, and when my colleague goes to pray, he puts cigarettes in the desk drawer. I took them and destroyed them because they are forbidden by the Shari'ah. My question is: Is my action correct, given that my colleague is demanding the value of the cigarettes from me?
Answer:
It is not permissible for you to take the cigarettes and burn them; he will just go and buy another. The solution is that you advise him, admonish him, and remind him of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so that perhaps he will be convinced and leave it off out of conviction. As for taking them in the first place, you are not authorized to do so. This is the right of the rulers; they are the ones who destroy forbidden things. Those who hold authority do this. As for a person who has no authority, he does not forbid evil with his hand, but only with his tongue: he admonishes and reminds.
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرا فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه، وذلك أضعف الإيمان،
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، هل يجوز إتلاف العين المحرمة للغير لردعه عن الحرام؟ لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.