Is Working at Concerts Allowed if Only Handling Safety?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Is working as a steward at concerts permissible if I only handle crowd control and safety?

I work as a steward, and some of my shifts involve concerts where I manage crowd control and safety without participating in the event. The job helps cover my student expenses. Is it permissible for me to take these shifts?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

This type of work would be considered unlawful in the Shafi‘i School, while other views hold the nature of the work in question as lawful, and Allah knows best.

Details

Working as a steward at concerts, where you are solely responsible for crowd control and safety, can be approached from different juristic perspectives, particularly between the Shafi‘i and Hanafi schools.

The Shafi‘i Perspective: Assisting in Sin

In the Shafi‘i School, there is an explicit prohibition against assisting in sin and transgression, as Allah says:

“Do not assist one another in sin and transgression.” [Quran, 5:2]

Given that concerts often involve music and other elements that can lead to immorality, they are inherently problematic; your role as a steward in this environment could be considered an indirect form of assisting in the sinful event. Therefore, in the Shafi‘i understanding, your work would be impermissible.

The Hanafi Perspective: Direct vs. Indirect Assistance

The Hanafi School, however, distinguishes between direct and indirect assistance. Direct assistance in sinful activities would indeed be impermissible. However, stewardship, which does not involve direct participation in the haram aspects of the event (such as promoting or facilitating the entertainment itself), might be viewed as permissible.

According to the Hanafi position, the nature of the work is critical. If your specific role is limited to lawful duties, then, in their view, the job may be permissible. Nonetheless, if your duties could lead to indirect involvement in the sinful nature of the event, it would be advisable to reconsider the position.

Recommendation and Conclusion

Given this, seeking alternative employment that does not place you in an environment linked to sinful activities is advisable. However, if finding alternative work with a similar income is difficult and if your duties are genuinely confined to lawful responsibilities, then under the Hanafi view, there may be some leeway.

For more detailed insights, you may find helpful guidance on this topic on SeekersGuidance here regarding permissible employment and its relation to Sacred Law.

May Allah make it easy for you and grant you success in balancing your duties with righteousness.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.