A man works in the cinema operating and monitoring the projection machines; is his earnings lawful if there is no other work, and what is obligatory upon him, and is there any advice for him?

The questioner : The second question says: I work in a cinema, and my job is to operate and monitor the projection machines. Sometimes some obscene and degrading films are shown, and therefore I am not satisfied with this work, but I have not found any other, even though I feel that I am bearing a great sin because of it. What do you see as obligatory upon me, what do you advise me, and what is the ruling on the previous earnings from this work?

The Shaykh : It is obligatory for you not to work in this job because of its prohibition, corruption, and the corruption it causes. It is obligatory for you to separate from it and seek sustenance from other means. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: And He, the Exalted, says: And whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah will replace it with something better for him. The sustenance of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is not obtained through His disobedience. So you must separate from this work immediately and seek sustenance in other means, and the doors of sustenance, praise be to Allah, are many. As for what you earned from this forbidden money, if you were ignorant when you entered it and did not know that it was forbidden for you, then you owe nothing, because you earned it out of ignorance, and it does not involve consuming anyone’s money. However, if you give in charity what corresponds to the operation of the forbidden films, that is more preferable and better. And Allah knows best.