- Home
- The Concept of Work In Islam According to Kitabosunnat
- Islamic Ruling On Banks Job
- Islamic Ruling On Training In Riba-Based Bank
- Islamic Ruling On Job Interest Loans
- Islamic Ruling On Insurance Job
- Islamic Ruling On fake Job
- Islamic Ruling On Bakery Job
- Islamic Ruling On Haraam Job
- Islamic Ruling On Job In music Shop
- Islamic Ruling On Job Experience
- Islamic Ruling On Working As Sales
- Islamic Ruling On Work In Emergency Department
- Islamic Ruling on Working with Cheater
- Islamic Ruling On Working In A Company that Sells Toys
- Woman Working In The Perfume
- Ruling on Salary,Share And Bonus
- Islamic Ruling On Working In Jewellery Shop
- Working in a call centre
- Ruling On Making Profit
- Islamic Ruling On Tuition Fee
- Working for mail Companies
- Ruling on Give up Work for Prayer
- Ruling On Working in A Paint Shop
- Ruling On Studied In An Institute With A Trick
- Ruling On Working In Haraam Stock
- Islamic Ruling On Taking Tips
- Ruling On Working In A Contraceptive pills Company
- Translating A Book Against Islam
- Ruling On Study & Course for Haraam Job
- Ruling On Using Company's Properties for Personal
- Work In A Government Department
- Opening An Account In The Bank
- Ruling On A Doctor Who Misses The Prayer
- Ruling On Working As An Accountant
- Ruling On Taking Payment for Interpreting Dreams
- Ruling On Students Job
- Making Loans Easy for Bank Customers
- He worked for his father in return for payment
- Ruling On Renting Out The Hotel
- It Is Not Permissible for You Not to Fast Because of Work
- Ruling On Working As Producer
- Islimic Ruling On Nurse Job
- Ruling On Working In The Tourism Field As A Booking Agent
- Ruling On Accept Payment For Additional Work
- Ruling On Changing One's Date of Birth
- Ruling on Mosque’s Employees
- Arranging Hotel Reservations for Travellers
- A Teacher Worked Some Additional Hours
- Ruling On Jury Duty In A Non-Islamic Court In A Non-Muslim Country
- Working In A Mixed Environment
- Using Company Car for Personal Purposes
- Ruling On Owning, Renting
- Ruling On Working In A Cafe
- Ruling On Working In The Saudi Investment Bank
- Working In Auditing Offices
- Ruling On Diagnostic Medical Imaging
- Ruling On Working In An Islamic Nasheed Group
- Ruling On Working In A Law Company
- Ruling on Demand for Salary Increase
- Ruling On A Woman Working As A Broadcaster
- Ruling On Building Tourist Resorts
- He Got A Promotion At Work Via Bribery
- Ruling On Investing In Internet Cafes
- Doing Hajj With Money He Earned
- Working In Administration Supervised
- What Are Haraam Types of Jobs?
- Benefiting From Experience Acquired In A Haraam Job
- Ruling On Working As A Physical Education Teacher
- She Had A Contract To Work For Two
- Working In A Riba-based Bank With No Pay
- Working On A Program Which Helps
- Difference In Quality Of Teaching
- Using School Equipment for Personal
- Ruling On Training In A Riba-based Bank
- The Head Of The Department Lets Them
- Should He Tell On An Employee Who
- Ruling On Studying Accountancy
- Signing Up With A Lawyers’ Syndicate
- Ruling On Producing TV Reports
- Ruling On Receiving Salary Via A Riba-based Bank
- Ruling On Working In The Manufacture Of Pet Food
- The Imam And Muazzin Are
- Ruling On Working In A Shop
- Islamic Ruling On Google AdSense
- Changing One’s Age On The ID Card
- Working In Construction Or Painting
- Islamic Ruling On One Who Is Employed To Move Haraam
- He Wants To Open A Shop But
- Islamic Ruling On Working In A Company That Deals Alcohol
- The Administration Of The Blood Bank
- Ruling On Working On A Program
- False Medical Excuses Used By Students And Employees
- Working As An Intermediary
- Should He Submit A False Report
- Ruling On Opening A Barbershop For Men
- Giving Lessons Outside Of School
- Ruling On Working In A Programming Company
- Working In The Islamic Section Of A Bank
- Ruling On Taking Part And Working In Savings Accounts
- She Has Given Up Working As A Pharmacist
- Working Washing Glasses Used For Wine
- The Boss Distributed To Them Money
- Does Accepting Payment For Teaching Qur’aan And Arabic
- Ruling On Shop For Audio Repairing
- The Boss Lets Them Record A Half Day As A Full Day
- Ruling On Working In Al-Rajhi Bank
- He Is Being Asked To Erase The Faults
- Using The Computer At Work For Personal Reasons
- Working In An Internet Café
- Should She Take Her Salary Without Working?
- He Saved The Government Some Money
- Ruling On Disposing Of Samples After Testing Them
- He Got A Forged Certificate
- Boss Choosing A Female Secretary For The Workplace
- Should He Sit With His Colleagues At Work
- Employment In Private And Government Sectors
- She Completes Her Evening Work Before The Time Ends
- She Works In A Store And Some Money Was Stolen
- Forging Certificates In Order To Gain Employment
- Can An Employee Take Promotional Items
- Working In Production Of Electronic Chips
- Can The Teacher Repeat The Exam So That The Students Will Get Better
- He Is Working In A Store And Is Afraid
- She Received A Proposal From An Engineer
- Deducting From An Employees Wages Because Of His Mistakes
- She Works In A Residence For Foreign Female Students
- They Are Playing About With Their Attendance
- Teachers leaving before the end of working hours
- Ruling On Going On Strike
- She Works In A Company Is Owned
- Should He Give The Telephone Worker A Tip Even Though He Has A
- Ruling On Job In A Hotel
- Working As A Storekeeper In A Hotel Where There Is Alcohol
- She Works For A Company That Is
- Ruling On Working For Newspapers
- Can He Work As A Typist In A Law Office That Defends Criminals?
- Working In The Construction
- Ruling On Dealing In Cosmetics And Hairdressers’ Supplies
- Ruling On A Man Teaching Girls Without Any Barrier
- Is It Permissible For An Employee To Read Qur’aan During Work Hours?
- He Works As An Accountant In A Company
- Students Working In Restaurants That Serve Alcohol And Pork
- Workplace Questions etc.
- Asking About The Circumstances
- Reading Qur’aan During Work Time
- Ruling On Telling Bosses About A Worker
- Should A Boss Agree To Give Permission
- He Wants To Work Some Days Of
- Ruling On Working As A Film Developer
- Is It Permissible To Work As A Lawyer?
- Her Relative’s Husband Went Against
- What Is The Ruling on Professional Pursuit Of Football
- Salary Of An Employee Who Cheated In his Exam
- Ruling On Working As A Defence Lawyer
- Ruling On Female Servants Working
- Ruling On Talking To Women At Work
- Should He Take What He Entitled
- Doing One’s Own Work During Official Work Hours
- His Job Is Making Sure That The Company’s Files Are Recorded
- Is It Permissible To Work In A Mint?
- Ruling On Tips For Workers And The Ruling On Working
- Working For A Company That Sells Gold On Credit
- Can He Open A Store To Do Cupping In Return For Payment?
- Ruling On Appointing A Woman As A Judge
- He Works In A Company In Which There Is A Restaurant That Sells
- Should He Shave His Beard For The Sake Of Work ?
- A Teacher Uses His Teaching Time
- Ruling On Salary If One Acquired The Certificate By Cheating
- Is His Preferring To Work With Non-Muslims
- Ruling On Working In Bank al-Bilaad
- Working As A Customs Broker And The Wages Of A Broker
- Should He Pay Money In Order To Get A Job?
- He Got His University Certificate Through An Intermediary
- Is it Permissible for A Woman to Work Selling Product Over The Phone
- Is it Permissible to Delay Payment
- Writing A Letter Stating Salary for Someone Who Will Use it to Get A
- Should He Travel To Kaafir Countries Or Work In A Tourist Resort?
- It Is Hard For Him To Go To Work So He Signs
- (1)He works In A Mixed Environment And Is Worried About His Fast
- Is It Permissible For Him To Sell Gifts
- Ruling on Working for A Company that Maintains the Central Bank Building
- He Refuses to Teach Music to the Students,and he Is Asking About His
- Ruling on Working As The Manager of an Internet Café
- Ruling On Taking Part In Building A Resort Village
- Using The Company’s Property For Personal Things
- Ruling on Working As A Security Guard In An Hotel
- It Is Permissible To Accept Payment For Teaching Qur’aan
- He Works In A Video Game Store And Is Asking About His Income
- A Muslim Working For An Atheist
- He Works As The Deputy Manager In A Hotel That Sells Alcohol
- Ruling on Teaching Man-made Laws
- Working As A Lawyer In A Country That Is Ruled
- Working As A Lawyer In The Islamic Judicial System
- Ruling on Working In A Company That Promotes Satellite Channels
- A Security Guard Sleeping When He Has Nothing To Do
- Ruling on Fixing TVs And VCRs
- He Told The Students To Pay Money
- Is It Permissible For Her To Pray In Front Of Employees At Work?
- He Wants To Work In A Company That Produces Programs For
- He Treated The Financial Director And He Gave Him Some Money
- Writing Down People’s Complaints
- If There Is Half An Hour Left Of The Regular Work Hours Of A Field
- Important And Precise Conditions For Committing An Evil Action By Forc
- Ruling on A Man Working In A Hairdressing Salon For Women
- Working For A Company That Cheats
- Secrets In The Medical Profession
Ruling On Working For Newspapers
I work for one of the daily newspapers in my country, which is supposedly an Islamic country but in fact it is not. You know the extent of government hypocrisy and misguidance in these newspapers. I work in the department that deals with design and production of these newspapers. Is my salary halaal? Because job opportunities in my country are very few and I have no choice but to work in this job, even though I did not want to work here at first.
Praise be to Allah.
We ask Allah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and to guide the media bosses to that which is best for all people, and to help them to spread truth and chastity.
But unfortunately very few newspapers and magazines are free of things that are forbidden in Islam,which means that we must refrain from selling them and buying them. That makes it more likely that we should refrain from working in them. Among these forbidden things are the following:
1. Horoscopes and fortune-telling. These are major sins which may lead a person to kufr
2. Program listings for satellite channels. Most of these channels spread evil and immorality.
3. Indecent pictures of attractive and immoral women.
4. Adverts for banks and companies that sell and manufacture haraam things.
5. Cartoons which are haraam because they are usually drawings done by hand of animate beings.
6. Hypocritical praise of the rulers who do not deserve it.
7. False fatwas that are fabrications against shariah, and deviant articles that attack Islam.
And there are many other things that go against Islam, which may be more or less serious according to each nation and its system, and according to each newspaper and its aims.
Hence the scholars have issued a fatwa forbidding the buying and selling of newspapers and magazines that contain a few of these haraam things, so how about those that contain many of them? What if the ruling has to do with design and production of these newspapers?
1. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for you – or anyone else – to sell newspapers and magazines that contain pictures of women or articles that go against Islam, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[Surah al-Maa’idah 5:2]
Fatawa Islamiyyah (2/371).
2. Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
I am a young man, 21 years old. My father has died and I have five brothers and my mother. He left us some shops, including a shop that sells newspapers and magazines, and religious books and Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’an). In that shop there is a worker who is not Muslim. I told my older brother that it is not permissible for that worker to touch the Qur’ans and religious books, and it is not permissible to sell the magazines which contain pictures, but he did not accept what I said. What should I do? Is it permissible for me to sit with my brothers and eat with them?
He replied:
We appreciate your piety and your desire to avoid haraam and doubtful things. We advise you to try to fire this kafir and you will find a trustworthy Muslim who is much better than him in sha Allah.
With regard to magazines, if they are indecent and promote immorality,then it is haraam to sell them, make a profit from them or deal in them. If the pictures in them are regular pictures and are free of indecency, then there is nothing wrong with selling them because of what they contain of useful knowledge and permissible speech, and the pictures are not the main purpose for you. We advise you to stay with your brothers and eat with them, and there is no sin on you in sha Allah.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (2/371, 372).
3. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked:
What is the ruling on drawings (caricatures) which appear in some newspapers and magazines and include drawings of people?
He replied:
The kind of drawings mentioned are haraam, and they are among the widespread evils which must be avoided because of the general meaning of the sahih ahadith which indicate that making images of any animate beings is haraam, whether they are done with machines or by hand or otherwise.
For example, al-Bukhari narrated in as-Sahih from Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who pays it, and he cursed the image-maker. It is also narrated in as-Sahihayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers.” And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them: Give life to that which you have created.”And there are many other ahadith on this subject, and there are no exceptions to that except cases of necessity where image-making cannot be avoided, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity”
[Surah al-An’aam 6:119]
I ask Allah to help the Muslims to adhere to the shariah of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to avoid that which goes against that, for He is the best One to ask.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/362, 363)
4. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I say to those who are in charge of these newspapers that they will have to answer before Allah when they stand before Him on the Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart [cf. as-Shu’ara 26:89]. Those who publish these evils will be responsible for whatever effects came about as the result of their publishing them. If the society turned into a bestial society, where nothing good was enjoined and nothing bad was denounced and the people did not follow the commands of Allah let alone the commands of the slaves of Allah, this will lead to unlimited chaos.
And he said: Among the evils spread by these newspapers is the love that develops in the heart for images that have no reality, so it is like a mirage in a desert.The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allah is Swift in taking account [cf. an-Noor 24:39].
Another of the evils spread by these newspapers and magazines is that they have an effect on people’s morals and customs, because of the images and fashions found in them, so the society turns into one that is very similar to those corrupt societies.
So the believers should boycott these newspapers and magazines and not help their publishers in their sin. Buying them is helping them and strengthening them and encouraging them to continue publishing them and things that are even worse. Those who subscribe to them and buy them are helping them in sin and transgression. The believers should remember what Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded”
[Surah at-Tahreem 66:6]
O Allah,have I conveyed the message? O Allah,have I conveyed the message? O Allah, have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness to what I say, and bear witness to what these people hear, what is obligatory for them and what I say and repeat: you must boycott these newspapers and magazines and burn any of them that you have in your possession, so that you will be free of their sin.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/381-383).
5. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)said:
It is not permissible to publish magazines which include pictures of women or promote zina, immorality, homosexuality, consumption of intoxicants and other things that call to falsehood and help therein. It is not permissible to work for such magazines by writing or distributing, because that is cooperating in sin and transgression,and spreading mischief on earth, and promoting the corruption of society and the spread of evil. Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[Surah al-Maa'idah 5:2]
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/384)
6. Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
We hope that you can explain the Islamic ruling on what appears in some immoral magazines which is called the zodiac, such as Taurus, Scorpio and so on. They say that whoever is born under the sign of Taurus, for example, such and such will happen to him, and he will travel to some land etc, and similar claims to have knowledge of the unseen. Each sign has its own events that will happen to those born under it.
He replied:
The zodiac refers to stations or “houses” of the sun, of which there are twelve. Allah has sworn in the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning):“By the Sky (displaying) the Zodiacal Signs” [al-Burooj 85:1].They are: Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo,Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. They are months, and nobody knows what is going to happen in them except that which Allah has told us. Whoever claims that such and such will happen in Taurus and such and such will happen in Scorpio is one of those who claim to have knowledge of the unseen, which no one knows except Allah. It is not permissible to seek in the stars or the constellations of the zodiac anything but that which benefits a person’s faith and Islam. And Allah knows best.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/386).
7. The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
What is the ruling on one who allows magazines that contain pictures and articles that are forbidden in Islam to enter his home?
They replied:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to allow into his home magazines or novels which contain heretical ideas or material that promotes bid’ah and misguidance, or which promotes immorality, for they corrupt people’s beliefs and morals.The head of the family is responsible for his family, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The man is the shepherd of his household and is responsible for his flock.”
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/387).
8. Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
The [name deleted] newspaper plays a bad role in distorting news about Muslims, concealing facts about their issues and presenting a bad image of Islam. It mispreresents Islamic issues and deals with them in a manner that does not serve the best interests of Islam in any way. It also presents news about kaafir actors and actresses etc and publishes pictures of them. What is your opinion of this newspaper? What is the ruling on selling it, buying it, distributing it and keeping it?
He replied:
If the matter is as described above, then dealing in it is a way of encouraging it, distributing it, promoting it and supporting it, in spite of all the problems in it and the damage it does to people’s ‘aqidah.Hence I think that it is not permissible to keep it, buy it or distribute it. I advise every sincere person to avoid subscribing to it or publishing (articles) in it, because that will a way of suppressing it, until it changes it ways and does something better than this.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/388)
Conclusion:
You have read the fatwas of the scholars, and what they have said about the reasons why it is haraam to work for newspapers and magazines that go against shariah, or to sell and buy them. You have seen what we said at the beginning of our answer. Based on that, you can think about these fatwas and see to what extent they apply to the newspaper that you work for. If there is anything that goes against sharee’ah then you should not work for it. Fear Allah and remember that Allah has promised you something better if you fear Him. In the Sunnah there is glad tidings for you if you give up this work for the sake of Allah.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things” [Surah at-Talaaq 65:2-3]
“and whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him” [Surah at-Talaaq 65:4]
and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better than it.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah (p. 49).
If you think that by staying there you can change some of these evils and reduce them, and enjoin what is good and pave the way for righteous people to write for the newspaper and defend Islam, and other kinds of beneficial actions, then we hope that your staying there will be a good thing and that you will be rewarded for it and for your efforts to reduce evil, in sha Allah.
But if you are not able to do that and the newspaper is filled with evils, then you have no choice but to leave, and Allah will compensate you with something better than it.
And Allah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Praise be to Allah.
We ask Allah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and to guide the media bosses to that which is best for all people, and to help them to spread truth and chastity.
But unfortunately very few newspapers and magazines are free of things that are forbidden in Islam,which means that we must refrain from selling them and buying them. That makes it more likely that we should refrain from working in them. Among these forbidden things are the following:
1. Horoscopes and fortune-telling. These are major sins which may lead a person to kufr
2. Program listings for satellite channels. Most of these channels spread evil and immorality.
3. Indecent pictures of attractive and immoral women.
4. Adverts for banks and companies that sell and manufacture haraam things.
5. Cartoons which are haraam because they are usually drawings done by hand of animate beings.
6. Hypocritical praise of the rulers who do not deserve it.
7. False fatwas that are fabrications against shariah, and deviant articles that attack Islam.
And there are many other things that go against Islam, which may be more or less serious according to each nation and its system, and according to each newspaper and its aims.
Hence the scholars have issued a fatwa forbidding the buying and selling of newspapers and magazines that contain a few of these haraam things, so how about those that contain many of them? What if the ruling has to do with design and production of these newspapers?
1. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for you – or anyone else – to sell newspapers and magazines that contain pictures of women or articles that go against Islam, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[Surah al-Maa’idah 5:2]
Fatawa Islamiyyah (2/371).
2. Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
I am a young man, 21 years old. My father has died and I have five brothers and my mother. He left us some shops, including a shop that sells newspapers and magazines, and religious books and Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’an). In that shop there is a worker who is not Muslim. I told my older brother that it is not permissible for that worker to touch the Qur’ans and religious books, and it is not permissible to sell the magazines which contain pictures, but he did not accept what I said. What should I do? Is it permissible for me to sit with my brothers and eat with them?
He replied:
We appreciate your piety and your desire to avoid haraam and doubtful things. We advise you to try to fire this kafir and you will find a trustworthy Muslim who is much better than him in sha Allah.
With regard to magazines, if they are indecent and promote immorality,then it is haraam to sell them, make a profit from them or deal in them. If the pictures in them are regular pictures and are free of indecency, then there is nothing wrong with selling them because of what they contain of useful knowledge and permissible speech, and the pictures are not the main purpose for you. We advise you to stay with your brothers and eat with them, and there is no sin on you in sha Allah.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (2/371, 372).
3. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked:
What is the ruling on drawings (caricatures) which appear in some newspapers and magazines and include drawings of people?
He replied:
The kind of drawings mentioned are haraam, and they are among the widespread evils which must be avoided because of the general meaning of the sahih ahadith which indicate that making images of any animate beings is haraam, whether they are done with machines or by hand or otherwise.
For example, al-Bukhari narrated in as-Sahih from Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and the one who pays it, and he cursed the image-maker. It is also narrated in as-Sahihayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers.” And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The makers of these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them: Give life to that which you have created.”And there are many other ahadith on this subject, and there are no exceptions to that except cases of necessity where image-making cannot be avoided, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity”
[Surah al-An’aam 6:119]
I ask Allah to help the Muslims to adhere to the shariah of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to avoid that which goes against that, for He is the best One to ask.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/362, 363)
4. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I say to those who are in charge of these newspapers that they will have to answer before Allah when they stand before Him on the Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart [cf. as-Shu’ara 26:89]. Those who publish these evils will be responsible for whatever effects came about as the result of their publishing them. If the society turned into a bestial society, where nothing good was enjoined and nothing bad was denounced and the people did not follow the commands of Allah let alone the commands of the slaves of Allah, this will lead to unlimited chaos.
And he said: Among the evils spread by these newspapers is the love that develops in the heart for images that have no reality, so it is like a mirage in a desert.The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allah is Swift in taking account [cf. an-Noor 24:39].
Another of the evils spread by these newspapers and magazines is that they have an effect on people’s morals and customs, because of the images and fashions found in them, so the society turns into one that is very similar to those corrupt societies.
So the believers should boycott these newspapers and magazines and not help their publishers in their sin. Buying them is helping them and strengthening them and encouraging them to continue publishing them and things that are even worse. Those who subscribe to them and buy them are helping them in sin and transgression. The believers should remember what Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded”
[Surah at-Tahreem 66:6]
O Allah,have I conveyed the message? O Allah,have I conveyed the message? O Allah, have I conveyed the message? O Allah, bear witness to what I say, and bear witness to what these people hear, what is obligatory for them and what I say and repeat: you must boycott these newspapers and magazines and burn any of them that you have in your possession, so that you will be free of their sin.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/381-383).
5. Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)said:
It is not permissible to publish magazines which include pictures of women or promote zina, immorality, homosexuality, consumption of intoxicants and other things that call to falsehood and help therein. It is not permissible to work for such magazines by writing or distributing, because that is cooperating in sin and transgression,and spreading mischief on earth, and promoting the corruption of society and the spread of evil. Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment”
[Surah al-Maa'idah 5:2]
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/384)
6. Shaykh ‘Abdullah al-Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
We hope that you can explain the Islamic ruling on what appears in some immoral magazines which is called the zodiac, such as Taurus, Scorpio and so on. They say that whoever is born under the sign of Taurus, for example, such and such will happen to him, and he will travel to some land etc, and similar claims to have knowledge of the unseen. Each sign has its own events that will happen to those born under it.
He replied:
The zodiac refers to stations or “houses” of the sun, of which there are twelve. Allah has sworn in the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning):“By the Sky (displaying) the Zodiacal Signs” [al-Burooj 85:1].They are: Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo,Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. They are months, and nobody knows what is going to happen in them except that which Allah has told us. Whoever claims that such and such will happen in Taurus and such and such will happen in Scorpio is one of those who claim to have knowledge of the unseen, which no one knows except Allah. It is not permissible to seek in the stars or the constellations of the zodiac anything but that which benefits a person’s faith and Islam. And Allah knows best.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/386).
7. The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
What is the ruling on one who allows magazines that contain pictures and articles that are forbidden in Islam to enter his home?
They replied:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to allow into his home magazines or novels which contain heretical ideas or material that promotes bid’ah and misguidance, or which promotes immorality, for they corrupt people’s beliefs and morals.The head of the family is responsible for his family, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The man is the shepherd of his household and is responsible for his flock.”
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/387).
8. Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
The [name deleted] newspaper plays a bad role in distorting news about Muslims, concealing facts about their issues and presenting a bad image of Islam. It mispreresents Islamic issues and deals with them in a manner that does not serve the best interests of Islam in any way. It also presents news about kaafir actors and actresses etc and publishes pictures of them. What is your opinion of this newspaper? What is the ruling on selling it, buying it, distributing it and keeping it?
He replied:
If the matter is as described above, then dealing in it is a way of encouraging it, distributing it, promoting it and supporting it, in spite of all the problems in it and the damage it does to people’s ‘aqidah.Hence I think that it is not permissible to keep it, buy it or distribute it. I advise every sincere person to avoid subscribing to it or publishing (articles) in it, because that will a way of suppressing it, until it changes it ways and does something better than this.
Fatawa Islamiyyah (4/388)
Conclusion:
You have read the fatwas of the scholars, and what they have said about the reasons why it is haraam to work for newspapers and magazines that go against shariah, or to sell and buy them. You have seen what we said at the beginning of our answer. Based on that, you can think about these fatwas and see to what extent they apply to the newspaper that you work for. If there is anything that goes against sharee’ah then you should not work for it. Fear Allah and remember that Allah has promised you something better if you fear Him. In the Sunnah there is glad tidings for you if you give up this work for the sake of Allah.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things” [Surah at-Talaaq 65:2-3]
“and whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make his matter easy for him” [Surah at-Talaaq 65:4]
and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allah, Allah will compensate him with something better than it.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah (p. 49).
If you think that by staying there you can change some of these evils and reduce them, and enjoin what is good and pave the way for righteous people to write for the newspaper and defend Islam, and other kinds of beneficial actions, then we hope that your staying there will be a good thing and that you will be rewarded for it and for your efforts to reduce evil, in sha Allah.
But if you are not able to do that and the newspaper is filled with evils, then you have no choice but to leave, and Allah will compensate you with something better than it.
And Allah knows best.
Islam Q&A