I have been approached to provide electrical designs and plans for a shopping complex/centre.

Answer

The money which you have earned from the electrical designing project if the shopping complex and the hotel is halaal. You are not responsible for what the rooms are hired out to or who hires the rooms or for what purpose the owners of the building will be using parts of the property. It is a different matter if you are aware that the actual purpose of the whole building is to operate a brothel, casino, liquor store and the like. In such cases it will not be permissible be involved in any way with the construction of the building.

If a person walks randomly into a Muslim-owned market and purchases grapes for the purpose of making liquor, the market-owner is free to sell grapes to him. It is, however, a different matter if he supplies a liquor manufacturer with grapes for manufacturing liquor. In this case it will be haraam to sell grapes to the manufacturer. While a farmer may grow and sell grapes to anyone randomly without making enquiries regarding the end use of the grapes, it will be haraam for him to specifically supply a liquor manufacturer with grapes.

If you have to design installation, etc. for a supermarket, for example, it will be permissible although it is known that they will utilize portion of the premises for liquor and other haraam products. All supermarkets and hypermarkets today deal in liquor and other haraam products.

The issue of Taqwa is another domain. If someone abstains on the basis of his personal Taqwa, it is commendable. But then he should have the spiritual stamina to withstand trials and tests which will come in the wake of his adherence to Taqwa.

It will be haraam to design a building or be part of its construction if it is for example, a temple project because it is an abode of idolatry, kufr and shirk. On the other hand, to design a mansion for a Hindu will be permissible even though it is known that the Hindu will use a part of his mansion for idolatry. Since the primary purpose of the mansion is residence, it will be permissible. However, if a person due to his lofty state of taqwa refuses to design even the mansion, it will be commendable.

If a person lacks Taqwa or is deficient in this noble attribute, then it is best that he adopts permissibility. But if he is a man who can withstand the rigours of poverty and hardship, then it is best for him to adopt the course of taqwa and abstain from any dubious project. But, when people nowadays believe that abstention from consuming halaalized haraam carrion belongs to the domain of Taqwa, then we understand that Taqwa is a foreign incomprehensible concept to even Ulama who are operating Darul Ulooms.

We are living in an age which fits the following Hadith: "Then, there will dawn an age when holding on to the Deen will be like holding on to a burning ember."