Compromising Religion?

Muslim cashiers at Target stores refused to scan customers' pork products on religious grounds. Target had them flag another employee to do the scanning, but within days of news reports and hours of talk radio devoted to the topic, Target changed its policy. Cashiers who refuse to ring up pork products are given other positions, a policy already in place at other area grocery stores.

This article about religion on the job has has brought up a couple of issues for me. First of all, are those particular Muslims being reasonable in their demands? Does Islam, for instance, actually prohibit us from selling someone a packaged pork-based item that they bought from the business that employs us?

I, personally, would not have a problem with it. I would feel weird about selling someone alcohol at that same establishment, though. What's the difference? I'm not sure. Maybe I feel that way because it is much more obvious what damage alcohol can do to you. But what is the reason we abstain from these things? We could list all the reasons we want, but the bottom line is that we as Muslims believe the Qur'an is the word of God, and we obey the teachings of the Qur'an out of obedience to God.

Intentions are important, and I guess a Muslim working at Target would have to decide whether handling packaged pork products violates the word and spirit of what is written in the Qu'ran. In addition to being a sin, would it make the money you'd earn from such a job no longer halal? In that case, you'd have to say, if the business you work in makes money from selling haram products, and they pay you with its products, your income is not completely halal anyway.

So the bottom line for me--as I've mentioned before--is, that if you can't fulfill the job, you should find another line of work. That may sound harsh, but I believe that you if you try to find something that will not make you compromise your faith, God will provide a way. When one door closes, another one opens.