I hope you’re doing well, i got the group link from a brother in Canada because i needed guidance.
We are running an overseas employment business here in Pakistan since 2005, we recently received an offer from a company in Europe, the company produces wine and requires 200+ employees from Pakistan who will pluck, pack and transport the grapes which will be later used in making wine.
We will receive payment from the candidates we send to Europe from Pakistan, since they will be working in the grape fields which exist specifically for the wine factory, will the payment we receive from the candidates be considered as halal or haram?
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
1. In principle, according to the opinion of Imam Abu Haneefa rh., any commodity that has the potential of multiple usages whereby one use is halal and another use is haram, then the sale of that commodity will be permissible.
An example of this is selling a knife which can be used to cut food, as well as killing someone.
In view of this selling of the grapes which has a potential of being used for juice raisins or for wine, may be sold, and the income would be halal.
2. In the scenario mentioned, this wine making company will hire these individuals for plucking, pack and transport grapes. This will be an Ijarah. Such an ijarah is also permissible according to Imam Abu Haneefa rh. since the payment is being done for the time used for duties described.
3. However, if you read our guidance on the job-description and halal-suitability of a job at [ https://fatwa.ca/job-in-a-software-company-whose-main-clients-are-banks/ ] you will notice that there are two conditions mentioned there which will affect our final answer.
a. Knowing that the only outcome of this job will be to provide these grapes for the purpose of wine-making, a muslim will find an inherent distaste and would not find it honorable to be involved in wine-making, albeit in a distant indirect manner. In such a case, while the actual job will bring halal income, the job will still not be tayyib and suitable. We would rather suggest finding another route of earning.
b. Similarly, another concern (*and that which is very important*) is to see if the majority of the income of this wine making company is coming from wine sales. If this is the case, then working for such a company will not be permissible at all. For this you may have to check their portfolio of incomes, but from what the question suggest it seems that this may be their primary income. Thus it will not be permissible to be hired by this company. (neither for you as an agent, nor for the clients whom you will send as employees who will be paid by them).
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi