Q: Can I work in jobs that require me to deal with alcohol?

Muslims are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages. They are also to avoid working in jobs which principally involve alcoholic beverages. However, in situations such as there are no available jobs apart from one that requires you to deal with alcohol beverages, but that is not the primary job scope, this is allowed, as its sole purpose is to support oneself and one’s family.

For example, if you are working at a supermarket where you would need to handle the packaging of either alcoholic beverages or other non-halal items, this would not be considered as your primary duty. A view within the Ḥanafī school of law has allowed for such a concession to be made especially in a country where a majority of its population are not Muslims. The Ḥanafī scholar, Imām Al-Zaylaʿī in Rad al-Muḥtār ʿala al-Dur al-Mukhtār, held the view that the wages of one who is hired to transport wine, or to herd pigs are halal according to Imam Abū Ḥanīfah.