Sales of Alcohols at Neighbourhood Convenience Stores

Lately there have been several news about the sales of alcohols at neighbourhood convenience stores.  Many Muslims, for whom alcohols are forbidden, are against this practice.  Some of the reasons for this are:

1. There are already many places where people who want to drink alcohols can buy them  such as at dedicated alcohol shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
   
   
2. Sales of alcohols in convenience stores, especially 24-hour stores, will encourage non-drinkers (including Muslims and especially teenagers) to try drinking them as it is now becoming more convenient to buy them.
   
   
3. Many staff in the convenience stores are Muslims.  The sales of alcohols in their stores make Muslims come in contact with products which they are forbidden to have any dealings at all.  
   
   There is a Hadith on this prohibition which is self-explanatory. Al-Tirmidhi (1295) narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed ten with regard to alcohol: the one who squeezes (the grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, the one who drinks it, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who pours it, the one who sells it and consumes its price, the one who buys it and the one for whom it is bought.”  Further explanation can be found at Islam Q&A 
   
   

While perhaps it is the rights of the convenience store owners to sell alcohols in their stores, there are many actions that we, the consumers who are Muslims or who are against sales of alcohols in convenience stores, can do. Among them are:

1. We can choose not to buy anything from these convenience stores.  We may have to suffer a little inconvenience for our cause especially in times of emergencies when other shops may be closed.
   
   
2. We can encourage other consumers who have similar belief as ours to also not buy anything from these convenience stores.  
   
   
3. We can advise Muslim staff of these stores of the Islamic prohibition on dealing with alcohols.  We can give them leaflets explaining this matter.  We can encourage them to find other suitable jobs. 
   
   

 WalLahu'alam.