It is not permissible to sell cigarettes even if you are working in the store

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Cigarettes
are haraam and it is not permissible to smoke them or sell them or help with
them in any way whatsoever.

With regard
to the prohibition on smoking them, that is because of the real harm that
they cause, in addition to other reasons such as wastefulness and
extravagance. See question no.
10922.

With regard
to the prohibition on selling them, that is because when Allaah forbids a
thing He also forbids its price, so if it is haraam to smoke cigarettes it
is also haraam to sell them, because selling them helps the smoker in this
sin.

The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the
Jews. Fat was forbidden to them so they sold it and consumed its price, but
when Allaah forbids a thing He also forbids its price.” Narrated by Ahmad
and Abu Dawood (3026); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Jaami’ no. 5107.

With regard
to the prohibition on helping with that, that is because of the verse in
which 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”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]

And because
of the evidence which shows that it is obligatory to denounce evil, and
criticizes those who remain silent about it or approve it, so how about the
one who helps with it!

It is not
permissible for you to sell cigarettes whether you are the owner of the
store or a worker. You should advise the owner of the store and explain to
him that you will never sell these cigarettes so as to be free of sin. See
also question no. 10204.

We ask
Allaah to guide us and you.

And Allaah knows
best.