Ruling on working for newspapers
Question

                I work for one of the daily newspapers in my country, which is supposedly an Islamic country but in fact it is not. You know the extent of government hypocrisy and misguidance in these newspapers. I work in the department that deals with  design and production of these newspapers. Is my salary halaal? Because job opportunities in my country are very few and I have no choice but to work in this job, even though I did not want to work here at first.
Praise be to Allah.
    We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and 
    to guide the media bosses to that which is best for all people, and to help 
    them to spread truth and chastity.  

    But unfortunately very few newspapers and magazines are free 
    of things that are forbidden in Islam, which means that we must refrain from 
    selling them and buying them. That makes it more likely that we should 
    refrain from working in them. Among these forbidden things are the 
    following: 

    1 – Horoscopes and fortune-telling. These are major sins 
    which may lead a person to kufr. 

    2 – Program listings for satellite channels. Most of these 
    channels spread evil and immorality. 

    3 – Indecent pictures of attractive and immoral women. 

    4 – Adverts for banks and companies that sell and manufacture 
    haraam things. 

    5 – Cartoons which are haraam because they are usually 
    drawings done by hand of animate beings. 

    6 – Hypocritical praise of the rulers who do not deserve it. 

    7 – False fatwas that are fabrications against sharee’ah, and 
    deviant articles that attack Islam. 

    And there are many other things that go against Islam, which 
    may be more or less serious according to each nation and its system, and 
    according to each newspaper and its aims. 

    Hence the scholars have issued a fatwa forbidding the buying 
    and selling of newspapers and magazines that contain a few of these haraam 
    things, so how about those that contain many of them? What if the ruling has 
    to do with design and production of these newspapers?    

    1 – Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on 
    him) said: 

    It is not permissible for you – or anyone else – to sell 
    newspapers and magazines that contain pictures of women or articles that go 
    against Islam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, 
    righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and 
    transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:2]

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (2/371). 

    2 – Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (may Allaah preserve him) 
    was asked: 

    I am a young man, 21 years old. My father has died and I have 
    five brothers and my mother. He left us some shops, including a shop that 
    sells newspapers and magazines, and religious books and Mus-hafs (copies of 
    the Qur’aan). In that shop there is a worker who is not Muslim. I told my 
    older brother that it is not permissible for that worker to touch the 
    Qur’aans and religious books, and it is not permissible to sell the 
    magazines which contain pictures, but he did not accept what I said. What 
    should I do? Is it permissible for me to sit with my brothers and eat with 
    them? 

    He replied: 

    We appreciate your piety and your desire to avoid haraam and 
    doubtful things. We advise you to try to fire this kaafir and you will find 
    a trustworthy Muslim who is much better than him in sha Allaah. 

    With regard to magazines, if they are indecent and promote 
    immorality, then it is haraam to sell them, make a profit from them or deal 
    in them. If the pictures in them are regular pictures and are free of 
    indecency, then there is nothing wrong with selling them because of what 
    they contain of useful knowledge and permissible speech, and the pictures 
    are not the main purpose for you. We advise you to stay with your brothers 
    and eat with them, and there is no sin on you in sha Allaah. 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (2/371, 
    372). 

    3 – Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on 
    him) was also asked: 

    What is the ruling on drawings (caricatures) which appear in 
    some newspapers and magazines and include drawings of people? 

    He replied: 

    The kind of drawings mentioned are haraam, and they are among 
    the widespread evils which must be avoided because of the general meaning of 
    the saheeh ahaadeeth which indicate that making images of any animate beings 
    is haraam, whether they are done with machines or by hand or otherwise. 

    For example, al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Saheeh from 
    Abu Juhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba and 
    the one who pays it, and he cursed the image-maker. It is also narrated in
    al-Saheehayn that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him) said: “The most severely punished of people on the Day of 
    Resurrection will be the image-makers.” And he  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) said: “The makers of these images will be punished on 
    the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them: Give life to that which 
    you have created.” And there are many other ahaadeeth on this subject, and 
    there are no exceptions to that except cases of necessity where image-making 
    cannot be avoided, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to 
    you, except under compulsion of necessity”

    [al-An’aam 6:119] 

    I ask Allaah to help the Muslims to adhere to the sharee’ah 
    of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) and to avoid that which goes against that, for He is the 
    best One to ask. 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/362, 363) 

    4 – Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have 
    mercy on him) said: 

    I say to those who are in charge of these newspapers that 
    they will have to answer before Allaah when they stand before Him on the Day 
    whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him who brings to Allaah 
    a clean heart [cf. al-Shu’ara 26:89]. Those who publish these evils will be 
    responsible for whatever effects came about as the result of their 
    publishing them. If the society turned into a bestial society, where nothing 
    good was enjoined and nothing bad was denounced and the people did not 
    follow the commands of Allaah let alone the commands of the slaves of 
    Allaah, this will lead to unlimited chaos. 

    And he said: Among the evils spread by these newspapers is 
    the love that develops in the heart for images that have no reality, so it 
    is like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until 
    he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allaah with him, 
    Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allaah is Swift in taking account [cf. 
    al-Noor 24:39]. 

    Another of the evils spread by these newspapers and magazines 
    is that they have an effect on people’s morals and customs, because of the 
    images and fashions found in them, so the society turns into one that is 
    very similar to those corrupt societies. 

    So the believers should boycott these newspapers and 
    magazines and not help their publishers in their sin. Buying them is helping 
    them and strengthening them and encouraging them to continue publishing them 
    and things that are even worse. Those who subscribe to them and buy them are 
    helping them in sin and transgression. The believers should remember what 
    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families 
    against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are 
    (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the 
    Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded”

    [al-Tahreem 66:6]      

    O Allaah, have I conveyed the message? O Allaah, have I 
    conveyed the message? O Allaah, have I conveyed the message? O Allaah, bear 
    witness to what I say, and bear witness to what these people hear, what is 
    obligatory for them and what I say and repeat: you must boycott these 
    newspapers and magazines and burn any of them that you have in your 
    possession, so that you will be free of their sin. 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/381-383). 

    5 –Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on 
    him)said: 

    It is not permissible to publish magazines which include 
    pictures of women or promote zina, immorality, homosexuality, consumption of 
    intoxicants and other things that call to falsehood and help therein. It is 
    not permissible to work for such magazines by writing or distributing, 
    because that is cooperating in sin and transgression, and spreading mischief 
    on earth, and promoting the corruption of society and the spread of evil. 
    Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, 
    righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and 
    transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”

    [al-Maa'idah 5:2]

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/384) 

    6 – Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Jibreen (may Allaah preserve him) 
    was asked: 

    We hope that you can explain the Islamic ruling on what 
    appears in some immoral magazines which is called the zodiac, such as 
    Taurus, Scorpio and so on. They say that whoever is born under the sign of 
    Taurus, for example, such and such will happen to him, and he will travel to 
    some land etc, and similar claims to have knowledge of the unseen. Each sign 
    has its own events that will happen to those born under it. 

    He replied: 

    The zodiac refers to stations or “houses” of the sun, of 
    which there are twelve. Allaah has sworn in the Qur’aan (interpretation of 
    the meaning): “By the Sky (displaying) the Zodiacal Signs” [al-Burooj 
    85:1]. They are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, 
    Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. They are months, and 
    nobody knows what is going to happen in them except that which Allaah has 
    told us. Whoever claims that such and such will happen in Taurus and such 
    and such will happen in Scorpio is one of those who claim to have knowledge 
    of the unseen, which no one knows except Allaah. It is not permissible to 
    seek in the stars or the constellations of the zodiac anything but that 
    which benefits a person’s faith and Islam. And Allaah knows best. 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/386). 

    7 – The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: 

    What is the ruling on one who allows magazines that contain 
    pictures and articles that are forbidden in Islam to enter his home? 

    They replied: 

    It is not permissible for a Muslim to allow into his home 
    magazines or novels which contain heretical ideas or material that promotes 
    bid’ah and misguidance, or which promotes immorality, for they corrupt 
    people’s beliefs and morals. The head of the family is responsible for his 
    family, because the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    said: “The man is the shepherd of his household and is responsible for his 
    flock.” 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/387). 

    8 – Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (may Allaah preserve him) 
    was asked: 

    The [name deleted] newspaper plays a bad role in distorting 
    news about Muslims, concealing facts about their issues and presenting a bad 
    image of Islam. It mispreresents Islamic issues and deals with them in a 
    manner that does not serve the best interests of Islam in any way. It also 
    presents news about kaafir actors and actresses etc and publishes pictures 
    of them. What is your opinion of this newspaper? What is the ruling on 
    selling it, buying it, distributing it and keeping it? 

    He replied: 

    If the matter is as described above, then dealing in it is a 
    way of encouraging it, distributing it, promoting it and supporting it, in 
    spite of all the problems in it and the damage it does to people’s ‘aqeedah. 
    Hence I think that it is not permissible to keep it, buy it or distribute 
    it. I advise every sincere person to avoid subscribing to it or publishing 
    (articles) in it, because that will a way of suppressing it, until it 
    changes it ways and does something better than this. 

    Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/388) 

    Conclusion: 

    You have read the fatwas of the scholars, and what they have 
    said about the reasons why it is haraam to work for newspapers and magazines 
    that go against sharee’ah, or to sell and buy them. You have seen what we 
    said at the beginning of our answer. Based on that, you can think about 
    these fatwas and see to what extent they apply to the newspaper that you 
    work for. If there is anything that goes against sharee’ah then you should 
    not work for it. Fear Allaah and remember that Allaah has promised you 
    something better if you fear Him. In the Sunnah there is glad tidings for 
    you if you give up this work for the sake of Allaah. 

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He 
    will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

    3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could 
    imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. 
    Verily, Allaah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure 
    for all things”
    [al-Talaaq 65:2-3] 

    “and whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He 
    will make his matter easy for him”

    [al-Talaaq 65:4]

    and the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) said: “Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will 
    compensate him with something better than it.” Classed as saheeh by 
    al-Albaani in Hijaab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah (p. 49). 

    If you think that by staying there you can change some of 
    these evils and reduce them, and enjoin what is good and pave the way for 
    righteous people to write for the newspaper and defend Islam, and other 
    kinds of beneficial actions, then we hope that your staying there will be a 
    good thing and that you will be rewarded for it and for your efforts to 
    reduce evil, in sha Allaah. 

    But if you are not able to do that and the newspaper is 
    filled with evils, then you have no choice but to leave, and Allaah will 
    compensate you with something better than it. 

    And Allaah knows best.