Question:

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

Peace, blessings and mercy of Allah be you.

Some Western companies organize meetings and business dinners through which some employees drink wine on the same table of the meetings. What is the Shari`ah ruling about Muslims who attend such meetings and eat with them on the same tables? And what is meant by the Hadith that orders us to avoid sitting at tables on which liquor is served? Jazakum Allahu Khairan.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

Praise be to Allah, prayers and peace be upon His kind Messenger, his family members, companions and followers.

Allah has preferred this Muslim Ummah to others for many reasons, on top of which is: proclaiming kind acts and forbidding detestable acts. Allah says: "You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind: you proclaim kind acts and forbid detestable acts and you believe in Allah", (Quran, 3:110). And since you are the only Muslim in the company as you say you should be proud of your religion`s principles and virtues and apply them on your behavior and dealings with others, which will raise your status and honor your reputation among people and Allah will surely reward you for that. Just sitting with them, even if without drinking, is in itself a disobedience. Allah has ordered us not to sit in places of disobedience, otherwise we would be considered as doers of sins. Allah says: "Already has He sent you word in the book, that when ye hear the signs of God held in defiance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme: if ye did, ye would be like them. for God will collect the hypocrites and those who defy faith all in hell", (Quran, 4:140). And He says: "When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. if Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of those who do wrong", (Quran, 6:68). The prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "Whoever of you sees a disavowed act, he should change it by his hand, if he could not, by his tongue, and if he could not, then by his heart which is the weakest level of faith", (Reported by Muslim, 70).

Disavowing by heart makes it sad and opposing disdainful acts, and this is an obligation on all people in all circumstances and they are not excused for abandoning it, because there is no master over the heart and staying in meetings of disdainful acts contradicts with this obligation.

Sheikh Al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The Believer has to fear Allah in his dealings with people, and has nothing to do with their guidance, and this is the meaning of Allah`s saying: "O ye who believe guard your own souls: if ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray. the goal of you all is to God: it is he that will show you the truth of all that ye do", (Quran, 5:105). Guidance is done by doing the obligation, if a Muslim did what he should do in proclaiming goodness and preventing disavowed acts as he does other obligations, then he will not be harmed by the intrigue of the disbeliever, and this is done sometimes by his heart, by his tongue, and by his hand. As for the heart, it should be done by all means because there is no harm in doing it that way, and whoever does not do it, then he is not considered a Believer, as the prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "And this is the least or weakest level of faith", (Majmou` Al-Fatawa, 28/127).

The prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, ordered that no Muslim should sit at a table on which wine is served. Omar Ben Al-Khattaab, may Allah be content with him, narrated that the prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, said: "Whosoever that believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment must not sit at a table on which wine is served", (Reported by Ahmad, 126; and corrected by Al-Albani, 7/6).