The Ruling on Selling Tobacco, Weapons, and Dynamite
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I used to buy and sell tobacco and tobacco leaf, and then I learned that it is forbidden, so I left it for that reason. Is his earnings considered forbidden? Then I switched to selling weapons and rifles. Is there sin in that or not? Even though in Yemen, people trade in them continuously?
The Shaykh:
Yes.
The questioner:
He says: I used to buy and sell tobacco and tobacco leaf, and after I learned that it is forbidden, I left it for the sake of Allah. Is the money I earned considered forbidden? Then I switched to selling weapons, ammunition, rifles, and matches. Is there sin in that or not? Even though in Yemen, people trade in them continuously. And is buying and selling dynamite forbidden or not? If it is forbidden, I will leave it just as I left selling tobacco and tobacco leaf.
The Shaykh:
As for selling tobacco, tobacco leaf, and all narcotics and intoxicants, it is obligatory to leave it; it must be left, and we forbid its sale; because it is aiding in sin and transgression. Its earnings are corrupt, and it is not permissible. You did well in leaving it, and whoever repents, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 4250Da’if (Darussalam). As for selling weapons, if the state permits it, there is no harm. And dynamite, there is no harm in selling it, because it is needed for digging ruins and breaking stones; it is needed, so there is no harm in that. Yes.
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I used to buy and sell tobacco and tobacco leaf, and then I learned that it is forbidden, so I left it for that reason. Is his earnings considered forbidden? Then I switched to selling weapons and rifles. Is there sin in that or not? Even though in Yemen, people trade in them continuously?
The Shaykh:
Yes.
The questioner:
He says: I used to buy and sell tobacco and tobacco leaf, and after I learned that it is forbidden, I left it for the sake of Allah. Is the money I earned considered forbidden? Then I switched to selling weapons, ammunition, rifles, and matches. Is there sin in that or not? Even though in Yemen, people trade in them continuously. And is buying and selling dynamite forbidden or not? If it is forbidden, I will leave it just as I left selling tobacco and tobacco leaf.
The Shaykh:
As for selling tobacco, tobacco leaf, and all narcotics and intoxicants, it is obligatory to leave it; it must be left, and we forbid its sale; because it is aiding in sin and transgression. Its earnings are corrupt, and it is not permissible. You did well in leaving it, and whoever repents, Allah the Exalted accepts his repentance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب له
Source
فتاوى الحج 1410 هـ - 13 — archive.org (3:30)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.