Translating manuals about cigarette making machinery

21-2-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am a translator. there is a mission that require from my team to translate manuals about "Cigarette making machinery", into Arabic language. Many translators refused this job because it is HARAM. what shall i do ? refuse the mission or accept it. thanks in advance
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If the manuals that you are requested to translate propagate cigarettes and aim to convince people to smoke and make them love it, then it is not permissible for you to translate them, because cigarettes are Islamically forbidden as we clarified in Fataawa 87196 and 81589.

Therefore, it is not permissible to help in it by any means especially in what propagates it and calls people to smoke it. Allaah Says (what means): {…but do not help one another in sin and transgression.}[Quran 5:2]

On the other hand, if these manuals and publications clarify the harms and disadvantages of smoking, and call people to quit it, then it is permissible to translate them; rather, this is considered as spreading goodness amongst the people and calling them to it.

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net