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Expert: Alexandra Katarzyna Jerome - 4/15/2008


Question
Assalam alaikum, my husband and I are looking to move to a bigger house as we are expecting.We found a house on second floor of a building and the owner runs a liquor and pharmacy store in the first floor.The house has a separate entrance.Is it permissible to stay on rent in this house?

Answer
Aslaam Alaikum,

I would say that because the house has a separate entrance and as Muslims you do not partake in alcohol for the fear of God, that living in this home is permissible. There are only injunctions against consuming alcohol and early Arabs who ran liquor stores at the time of the Prophet were forced to find another trade.

You are not selling or consuming the alcohol and the home has a separate entrance, thus making it a separate entity from the store. You're not living inside the store, shopping there, or running it, so you are permitted to live there.

In addition, the fact that there is a pharmacy there balances out the liquor store, as alcohol is permissible for medicinal purposes, not Vodka of course, but medicines to treat sickness.

If you find that living above the store makes you at all uncomfortable, then you should, like in any other circumstance, find another home to live in. It would be wise any way after your little one gets to be older.

Congratulations on your Little One and Jazakallah khairan!

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Alexandra Katarzyna Jerome

Expertise

I can answer questions on women, gender, veiling, contemporary Arabic literature, Islamic Feminism and women's movements. I can also answer questions about Islam in Iran, Afghanistan, and the United States.

Experience

Currently I am a PhD Candidate in American Studies/American Islam at the College of William & Mary and serve on the Scholars Board of the American Islamic Fellowship. Prior to that, I was a lecturer in Religion and Languages at York College teaching Arabic, Islam, and World Religions. In Fall 2005, I interned for the Department of Women's Affairs and the Ambassador's Office at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C. I have lectured to both faculty and community organizations on "Women in Islam" (including belief, practice, and textiles) and on "Islam in America." My educational background is broadly in Islam and Gender, Literature, and American Islam.

Organizations
Association for Middle Eastern Women's Studies American Academy of Religion Middle East Studies Association of North America American Islamic Fellowship International Campaign Against Honour Killings Women Against Crimes of Honour

Publications
Arabesques (Article on Assia Djebar and Algerian Literature) Encyclopedia of Women in Islamic Cultures (Encyclopedia Article on Afghan Women's Poetry) Journal of Middle East Women's Studies (Book Review) Bulletin, Middle East Studies Association (Book Review) Journal of Arab Media and Society (Book Review) Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (Book Review)

Education/Credentials
B.A. Middle Eastern Studies (specializing in Gender) and Spanish (Dickinson College) Study Abroad: Universidad de Granada and the American University in Cairo (2001-02) M.A. Islamic Societies and Cultures (University of London) M.A. Gender and Identity in the Middle East (University of Exeter) Ph.D. Candidate, American Studies/American Islam, Department of American Studies (The College of William & Mary)

Awards and Honors
Master's Degree, Summa Cum Laude/Distinction (University of Exeter) Master's Thesis with Distinction (University of Exeter) Master's Thesis with Merit (University of London) Service Award (Embassy of Afghanistan)

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