# Buying alcohol in Muslim countries?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-alcohol-in-muslim-countries/490379>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 22, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-alcohol-in-muslim-countries/490379 "2009-03-22T20:58:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-alcohol-in-muslim-countries/490379/41 "2009-03-26T03:50:43Z")

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Some countries require that you have a card that says you can buy booze. Other countries will sell booze to people who look like foreigners. In Aceh, Indonesia, I knew non-Indonesian Muslims who got lectures from Sharia police for immoral behavior (mostly women who didn’t dress in a way the Sharia police liked) or were refused by wait staff to be served.

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**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-alcohol-in-muslim-countries/490379/42 "2009-03-26T05:20:51Z")

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> [@installLSC](#):
>
> In places that restrict sales to Muslims, how are these rules enforced? Do they simply assume anyone who looks local is Muslim, or are there ID checks. If you’re a Western Muslim (say someone of Pakistani descent who’s lived their entire life in Newcastle, or a convert) does nationality trump religion?

To get a card enabling you to buy alcohol at the state-run liquor store in Qatar, you need a letter from your employer stating your religion (and, as noted above, your monthly income, since your buying limit is based on your income). I’ve heard that bars are a lot less picky about whom they will serve. I’ve certainly never seen a hotel bar or restaurant ask anyone for an ID or anything. I dunno about converts.

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