Work Includes Filling Shelves with Pork
10-4-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I work in a supermarket to fill the shelves with all kind of foods including alcohol and pork for a monthly salary. Is this money Haram? This money is mixed with another money which I get by working in a (Non-Muslim) cleaning company. Are both earnings Haram or is the last one Haram? This mixed money has been put into a saving bank account and most of it has been used. But I still get the interest from it, and I don't use the interest after knowing that it is Haram. Am I correct? I was wondering do I have to close my bank account and keep my money at home because we don't have an Islamic bank here? And I was thinking to give this money to my mom for her Hajj. Even though I was born Muslim, all these years, I have wasted without practicing Islam? Lately, I have started practicing it and repenting when I knew the truth. Alhamdu Lillah, Allah is the most Merciful. And since then, I have been doubting this about this money? Could you explain to me whether this money is Haram or not?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is forbidden to work in the field of prohibited business and activities such as wine and pork, since such work is considered a form of cooperation and participation in what is forbidden.
Allah Says (what means): {…but do not help one another in sin and transgression.} [Quran 5:2]
Allah has cursed the one who takes part in preparing wine and even makes no distinction between the one who drinks wine, its presenter, squeezer and carrier.
Ibn ‘Umar 
narrated that the Prophet said, “Allah has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one who demands it to be pressed, its carrier, and the one to whom it is carried.” [Abu Dawood]
Therefore, the wages received from working in the field of some prohibited business is also forbidden.
As for Riba (interest and usury) that the inquirer received from another company, it is, without a doubt, more forbidden and worse than the above-mentioned work in wine or pork.
So, getting or dealing with an activity that produces Riba is also forbidden and constitutes a major sin. Such a major sin is unpardonable unless one repents sincerely, gives it up completely and then regrets one's bad deeds, especially taking Riba.
In addition, one has to get rid of interest, by spending it on the general welfare of the Muslims, such as building schools, paving roads, digging wells, and on the poor and needy.
At the same time, you have to avoid giving money to your mother to perform Hajj from forbidden wealth, since Hajj is an act of worship and obedience to Allah. So, it should be performed only from lawful gains, and Allah is Tayyib (which implies pure) and He accepts only that which is pure.
As to your work in a non-Islamic cleaning company, then such a work is lawful unless it is related to cleaning forbidden places, such as bars, brothels, etc.
Finally, we advise you to fear Allah, do what He likes and avoid what He dislikes, and to repent sincerely before it is too late.
We ask Allah to enable us to sincerely repent, do righteous deeds, and grant us success.
Allah knows best.