Ruling on selling medications whose misuse is suspected
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Question:
May Allah reward you with good. A pharmacist (E. A. H.) sent a number of questions, among which is one that says: I ask you about selling some medications where the pharmacist suspects that the buyer will misuse them, even though these medications are not prohibited and it is scientifically known that they are not narcotics. Knowing that if he refrains from selling them, he may be forced to lie by denying that he has these medications in stock, and that they must be present in the pharmacy; this is because most patients use them for treatment. Also, if he refrains from selling them to those who misuse them, it may cause some loss in the employer's financial revenue. Please guide us regarding this issue. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This requires a detailed explanation: If he knows that the pills being requested are used to facilitate fornication and lewd acts, he does not sell them to them if he knows this about them, or if it is most likely in his opinion that the buyer will use them in what Allah has forbidden.
As for mere suspicions and bad assumptions, they are of no account. He sells and does not refrain, as long as it is a treatment for the illness for which the buyer intends to purchase it. He does not refrain; rather, he sells, unless he knows that this buyer uses them in what Allah has forbidden, or if that is most likely in his opinion. This falls under the category of cooperating in righteousness and piety, and not cooperating in sin and aggression. There is no objection to his refraining from selling them for any valid religious excuse he can find. Yes, he should seek a valid religious excuse that does not involve lying. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
May Allah reward you with good. A pharmacist (E. A. H.) sent a number of questions, among which is one that says: I ask you about selling some medications where the pharmacist suspects that the buyer will misuse them, even though these medications are not prohibited and it is scientifically known that they are not narcotics. Knowing that if he refrains from selling them, he may be forced to lie by denying that he has these medications in stock, and that they must be present in the pharmacy; this is because most patients use them for treatment. Also, if he refrains from selling them to those who misuse them, it may cause some loss in the employer's financial revenue. Please guide us regarding this issue. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This requires a detailed explanation: If he knows that the pills being requested are used to facilitate fornication and lewd acts, he does not sell them to them if he knows this about them, or if it is most likely in his opinion that the buyer will use them in what Allah has forbidden.
As for mere suspicions and bad assumptions, they are of no account. He sells and does not refrain, as long as it is a treatment for the illness for which the buyer intends to purchase it. He does not refrain; rather, he sells, unless he knows that this buyer uses them in what Allah has forbidden, or if that is most likely in his opinion. This falls under the category of cooperating in righteousness and piety, and not cooperating in sin and aggression. There is no objection to his refraining from selling them for any valid religious excuse he can find. Yes, he should seek a valid religious excuse that does not involve lying. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.