Trading in Wine
23-12-2002 | IslamWeb
Question:
At first thank you very much for this wonderful web site ...my question is that I heard a fatwa on Iqra TV before few months which says that I can work in a place or store that sells alcohol (khamr).but if this place or store was in non muslim country, like USA or Germany. But some people say that this is not true but I heard this fatwa by my self..pleas, let me know what you say about this..as soon as possible.... thank you
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 for a Muslim to sell wine regardless of wherever he is and at all times. The Prophet said “Allah and His Messenger have prohibited selling wine, dead animals, pig and idols.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Another Hadeeth reads: “Allah has cursed wine, its presser, the one who demands it to be pressed, its drinker, its carrier, the one to whom it is conveyed, its server, its seller, its buyer, the one who consumes its price, its purchaser and the one for whom it is purchased.” [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]
The scholars of Islam are agreed upon the prohibition of selling wine. Ibn Al-Munthir 
said: “There is agreement among the scholars that selling wine is forbidden.” However, the scholars of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence are of the view that it is permissible for a Muslim, who lives safely in non-Muslim countries, to sell wine to non-Muslims, and they also permit one who embraced Islam and remained in non-Muslim countries to sell it.”
The scholars of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence based their opinion on the following: “The wealth of non-Muslims who are in the state of war is not protected; one who lives safely among them, should not betray them; one should not take their wealth except with their consent; if he takes their wealth with their consent, that is permissible even if the contract is null and void.”
We state that the above-stated opinion is clearly weak, since selling wine to a Muslim and non-Muslim is forbidden.
According to the Sunnah, it is forbidden to sell wine to a Muslim. Similarly, it is forbidden to sell wine to a non-Muslim since he is required to follow the sub-rulings of the Sharee'ah.
In addition, the Sharee'ah general pieces of evidence prohibit selling wine both in Muslim and non-Muslim countries.
Moreover, the Sharee'ah commands us to destroy wine and its price.
Furthermore, if it is lawful to sell in hostile state, then Muslims can travel to non-Muslim countries and sell wine to non-Muslims. Also, a Muslim's wealth (just like his blood) is forbidden even if the former remains in non-Muslim countries.
It is strange that those who give the Fatwa according to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence in this concern do not adhere to their opinion: that those countries are hostile countries and their wealth is not protected. Even though they do not draw the Muslims' attention to the fact that it is forbidden for a Muslim to sell wine to another Muslim, whether he came from a Muslim country or converted to Islam in the same non-Muslim country, or embraced Islam and traveled to a Muslim country and then returned to the non-Muslim country.
Thus, be careful! Avoid such Fataawa, since it is each and every Muslim's duty to consider at first if it is lawful to remain in non-Muslim countries; and if it becomes lawful for him, then he has to avoid what Allah prohibits and to eat and drink what is lawful and good (pure).
For more benefit on the prohibition of alcohol in Islam, please refer to Fataawa 81900 and 81389.
Allah knows best.