Question Summary:
Is it permissible to be involved in illegal cigarrettes ? Is the income earned Halāl?

Question Detail:

I have come to know of certain people dealing in illegal cigarettes. They are doing this as a living.
Is it permissible to be involved in this business? Is the income earned Halāl?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

It is an indisputable fact that smoking cigarettes is harmful to the health. Therefore, dealing in cigarettes is not permissible. The income from such dealings will be contaminated.[1]  
Furthermore, to break the law of the country is also prohibited. If one is convicted he will be disgraced and embarrassed. 

Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ الحَسَنِ، عَنْ جُنْدَبٍ، عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يُذِلَّ نَفْسَهُ قَالُوا: وَكَيْفَ يُذِلُّ نَفْسَهُ؟ قَالَ: يَتَعَرَّضُ مِنَ البَلاَءِ لِمَا لاَ يُطِيقُ.[2]
“A believer should not humiliate himself, The Sahābā asked: and how does one humiliate himself? Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam replied: one exposes himself to scourge of what one cannot endure”.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Zaid M Shelia,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, Illinois (USA)
 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net