Muslim e-hailing riders in dilemma over delivering non-halal items should find alternative employment

 

A TOUGH economic climate means that hard decisions have to be made to simply survive. But that choice is made even more difficult when it involves religious sensitivities, specifically the delivery of non-halal items by Muslim e-hailing riders.

More than 100,000 Muslim food delivery drivers or riders nationwide are apparently in a dilemma because at times they are forced to deliver non-halal food to customers, according to a Malay language Utusan Malaysia online report.

According to a religious doubts Q&A (question and answer) by the Penang state mufti, a Muslim who works in a food delivery job should not deliver pork-based food or other haram items even to non-Muslim customers.

“If this situation continues, he should try to find a more halal job that is pleasing to Allah SWT,” stated the response to a question posed by a Grab food delivery rider “who’s unable to run away from accepting non-halal orders”.

However, if his main job is to deliver halal food but in certain situations he has to deliver non-halal food to avoid losing his job, then it is permissible with the hope that Allah SWT will forgive his slippage.

In this situation, he should purify some of his income obtained from the haram delivery by chanelling it for the benefit of Muslims.

By the way, the Utusan Malaysia snippet was shared on its Facebook page which at the time of writing has garnered 1.2K likes, 1.7K comments and 104 shares.

Many commenters were quite perplexed by the dilemma, highlighting that they are NOT forced to accept the delivery order. There is no coercion involved and the riders have the right to decline.

One commenter wondered why this is a problem as the riders are just delivering not consuming the items.

What about the money we touch or even the air we breathe? Isn’t it similarly contaminated, queried some confused commenters.

A sarcastic jibe that the concept of haram/halal be extended to e-hail cars and their passengers and luggage was, however, met with a few retorts.

One speaking from experience thoroughly explained his stance in a very considered manner but another decided to call it out for its mocking tone.

One commenter gave a very considered response to the dilemma, equating the delivery job to a doctor treating a patient’s stomach.

By ensuring the customer’s hunger pangs are satisfied is a job well done and that should be the focus and source of pride for the delivery riders. That the food items are non-halal is inconsequential.

As can be seen from the comments, majority of non-Muslim commenters are of the opinion that it should not matter.

Some have argued that if one is indeed uncomfortable delivering non-halal items they will have to just decline the order or register with a platform that allows them to be halal-only delivery riders.

As quite a few pointed out, if it is really too much of a burden, just change one’s occupation.

However, on the flip side, there were considered explanations as to why these matters to Muslim riders. But even then, it was conceded that it was a matter of choice.

As these are tough economic times, it is doubtlessly tough to look for a job that is not in collision course with one’s faith.

But the reality is that these e-hail drivers are not coerced into delivering non-halal items or indeed be an e-hail rider. The choice is, indeed, theirs. – Focus Malaysia