Doing Hajj with money he earned by working in a company that produces tobacco

Question: 110902

I work as an engineer in a company that produces molasses tobacco. My wife works in the same company as well. There is an association that helps others who can’t afford able to do Hajj; I have participated in it long time ago. Alhamdulillah now we are able to go. We do not have any other source for living apart from our salaries from the tobacco company; we both are now over 50. Is it halal for us to perform hajj using this money? All our income is just from this work. My wife and I have received the tickets for hajj and we cannot return them. Please answer quickly, and do not be eager to make it haram, for everything is in the hands of Allah.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

Firstly:

Smoking tobacco and shisha (hookah, hubble-bubble) is haraam, because they are harmful and filthy. This has been discussed in the answer to question no. 45271.

If it is haraam to consume or use a thing, it is not permissible to manufacture or sell it, or to help with that.

Based on that, working in a company that produces tobacco is haraam work, and the salary that results from that is also haraam.

What you must do is repent to Allaah and give up this job, regret what has happened in the past and resolve not to do it again in the future.

If you did not know that consuming tobacco is haraam, or you were following a mufti who is lenient on this issue, then we hope that there will be no blame on you for what is past, and the wealth that you have is permissible for you.

But if you knew that consuming tobacco is haraam, then you have to get rid of this wealth by spending it on charitable causes and in the public interests of the Muslims, unless you need it, in which case you may take as much as you need. See the answer to question no. 78289.

Secondly:

If a person wants to do Hajj, his money must be pure and halaal. There is the fear that if a person does Hajj with haraam wealth, Allaah may not accept his Hajj, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah is Good and does not accept anything but that which is good.” Narrated by Muslim (1015).

But if you have already obtained permission to go for Hajj and tickets that you cannot return, then we think that you should do Hajj, and regard this money as a loan and pay an equivalent amount on charitable causes when Allaah blesses you – even if it is after a while. Thus we hope that your Hajj will be accepted. You must also repent to Allaah and resolve to give up the haraam work.

It is no secret to you that provision is in the hand of Allaah, and that He gives to His righteous slaves and close friends who fear Him. Place your hopes in that which is with Allaah. We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and your Hajj, and to grant you more of His bounty and kindness.

And Allaah knows best.

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