Q&A: Causing a Muslim to Sin
Causing a Muslim to Sin
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Do you see a moral problem in tempting a Muslim to drink alcohol? I have a friend from my studies; I’m a serious alcohol enthusiast, and he’s a believer, but he’s easily tempted. Is there some value in avoiding tempting him (maybe it could also give him pangs of conscience afterward)?
I don’t get into religious arguments with him, but I also don’t avoid drinking or talking about alcohol around him, and he’s interested. Is it better to avoid it?
Answer
There is definitely reason to do so. Why cause a person to stumble in something that, in his view, is a transgression? There may even be a halakhic problem here, since “do not place a stumbling block” also applies with respect to a non-Jew. True, this is not causing him to commit a halakhic transgression according to our Jewish law, but it is causing him to stumble over a stumbling block—that is, into something that in his view is harmful to him. And one could analyze this further.
In my opinion, morally, and in terms of interpersonal conduct, one should avoid this kind of “causing someone to stumble.”
And also, today you’ll tempt him to violate his religion, tomorrow he’ll think it over and realize that because of you he committed a transgression, his conscience will torment him, and who knows how he’ll react.
After all, not everyone knows how to take responsibility for their actions.