The ruling on renting Homes and Buildings to someone who will use them for that which is forbidden and the ruling on what (Money) the Real Estate Office takes for that
Question :
What is the ruling on renting places and storage facilities to someone who will sell forbidden things, like musical items, or places for singing, and grocery stores that sell cigarettes and magazines that are opposed to the Law of Allâh, or the widespread barber shops? What is the ruling on renting buildings and houses to those who gather in them to listen to music and they are lax about the prayer or they abandon it all together? What is the ruling on the wealth that the real estate agency takes in return for renting out these places?
Answer:
Renting places and storage facilities to someone who will sell or store in them forbidden things is forbidden, because that is cooperating in sin and transgression that Allâh has prohibited in His Statement:
"And do not cooperate in sin and transgression."
The same applies to renting places to someone who shaves beards, because shaving of the beards is forbidden. Therefore, in renting out places to be used for that purpose is assisting in that which is forbidden and making a means to achieve it easy.
The same applies to renting out spaces and homes to those who gather in them to do what is forbidden or abandon what is obligatory. In reference to renting out houses to residents if the resident does some sin in it or leaves off some obligation, there is no harm in that, because the renter has not rented the place to be used for this sin or for abandoning the obligatory act. Indeed the Prophet said:
"Indeed actions are only with intentions and every person will only get what he intended."
Whenever renting out places or storage facilities or buildings or homes is forbidden, then the rental fee that is taken for that is also forbidden. Whatever the real estate office takes (of money) from the person who uses it for evil is also forbidden. This is due to the statement of the Prophet:
"Verily, when Allah forbids something. He also forbids its price."
I ask Allâh, the Most High to guide all of us to His Straight Path, to make our sustenance good, and to make it a means of helping us to obey Him.
Source:
Ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 3 Pages 441-442
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