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Is it permissible to live with a roommate who drinks alcohol privately? Does it affect prayer, spirituality, or blessings? An Islamic ruling explained with clarity.

Living With Roommate Who Drinks Alcohol in Islam

Question:

I am a Muslim woman currently living in another city for my studies. My roommate is a very close friend of many years; we went to school together and now moved to study the same major. We each have our own rooms.

My question is about my spiritual wellbeing.

My roommate sometimes drinks a small amount of alcohol in her own room. There is also sometimes a bottle of alcohol in our shared fridge. She is not addicted and never pressures me. She knows it is wrong and she does not drink around me. I have also advised her kindly several times, and I feel I have fulfilled my responsibility in reminding her.

My concern is not anger or judgment toward her. My concern is myself. I fear whether living in a place where alcohol is consumed (even occasionally and privately) could affect my spirituality, my worship, my barakah, or my rizq. I pray in my own room and try to keep my space spiritually clean, but I worry about the overall environment of the home. After these three years of university InshaAllah we will move back to our parents home so it’s only for a few years.

So my questions are:

1. Does simply living in a home where someone privately drinks bring any spiritual harm, reduction in barakah/rizq, or sin to me?

2. As long as I do not approve of the act and do not participate in it, is there any responsibility upon me beyond advising her kindly?

3. Is it permissible to continue living here during my studies?

I would be very grateful for guidance on this matter
JazakAllahu khayran.

Answer:

With praise to Allah, sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and affirming submission (to Allah).

Drinking alcohol is strictly forbidden (haram) and is a major sin in Islam. The Qur’an and Hadith contain severe warnings regarding it, and curse has been mentioned for those connected to alcohol—such as the one who drinks it, serves it, sells it, or assists in it.

However, in your situation, two matters should be clearly separated:

Drinking Alcohol

This is the personal sin of your roommate, and the religious burden of this sin lies entirely upon her.

Living in the Same House

If:

You do not approve of her drinking,
You do not participate in it in any way (not buying, bringing, serving, or even handing it to her),
You do not sit with her when she drinks,
And you have clearly expressed your dislike of this act,

then you are not sinful simply because she drinks privately in her own room.
Her sin does not invalidate your prayers, nor does it directly cancel your du‘a, sustenance, or blessings.

It is true that, in general, places where sins occur may lose special divine mercy and tranquility, and such environments can feel spiritually heavy. However, if you personally avoid sin, eat halal, pray regularly, remember Allah, and dislike the sin in your heart, then your own reward, rizq, and spiritual benefit depend on your actions, not on your roommate’s wrongdoing.

Your Responsibility in Forbidding Wrong (Amr bil Ma‘ruf & Nahi ‘anil Munkar)

Islam teaches that when a wrong is seen, it should be addressed according to one’s ability:

By action, if one has authority,
By speech, through gentle advice,
Or at least by the heart, by disliking the sin (which is the weakest level of faith).

You mentioned that you have kindly advised her multiple times, she knows it is wrong, she does not pressure you, and you maintain your disapproval. In this case, you have fulfilled your responsibility of advising her verbally.

Constant arguing, scolding, or repeated confrontation is not required, especially if it may lead to conflict or harm. Gentle reminders at suitable times are good, but not obligatory.

However, it remains important that:

You continue to dislike the act in your heart,
You do not sit in the room or gathering when she is drinking, because being present in a drinking gathering is strongly disliked and may be sinful in some cases,
And if showing displeasure might help her reconsider and stop, then expressing that displeasure is appropriate.

Beyond this, no additional sin rests upon you.

Ruling on Living in Such a House

Your rental agreement and residence are for lawful purposes—living, studying, resting. Your roommate’s use of that space for a sinful act is her responsibility alone, as long as:

You do not assist her,
You do not help in purchasing, storing, or serving alcohol,
And you have made your disapproval clear.

Ruling on a Shared Refrigerator

A refrigerator is originally meant for halal use.
If she places alcohol there and you have clearly stated:

“I do not agree with alcohol, I dislike it, and I do not want my items mixed with it,”

and you keep your food separate (in a different section or container), then you are not sinful, and the sin remains hers alone.

Prayer and Worship in a House Where Alcohol Exists

Praying in your own room is valid and correct.
The presence of a sealed bottle of alcohol elsewhere does not make the house impure in Islamic law. As long as your body, clothes, and prayer place are clean, your worship is valid and, Allah willing, accepted.

Is It Permissible to Stay There During Your Studies?

If you currently do not have an easy alternative that is safer and more religiously suitable, and you are protecting yourself from sin, then staying there for the sake of education is Islamically permissible, although spiritually disliked due to the environment.

From the perspective of taqwa (piety), spiritual growth, and peace of heart, it is better and more rewarding to move to a place where such sins do not occur—or at least are not openly practiced—whenever a suitable alternative becomes available.

One Important Point

Your concern for your faith, spirituality, and relationship with Allah is deeply valuable, and Allah will reward you for it.
However, there is another important aspect that deserves attention: living away from one’s home for education is directly related to the Islamic rulings regarding a woman traveling and residing without a mahram. It is possible that this aspect has been unintentionally overlooked. For a proper understanding, please also review our separate answer titled “A Woman Traveling Without a Mahram.”

ALLAH knows best and most accurately

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Muhammad Yaseen

Muhammad Yaseen

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