Is It Permissible For Him To Sell Gifts That Have To Do With Kaafir Festivals?

Islamic Rulings - Living Shariah Verdicts

Islamic Questions & Answers

There is a factory that makes glass gifts, such as perfume bottles and candlesticks and exports them to other countries. I have been offered a position with responsibility for exports, but the factory will ask me to make some gifts that are just for Christian holidays (Christmas) such as crosses and images.

Is this work permissible? I fear Allaah now that I have been blessed with some knowledge and have memorized His Book.


Praise be to Allaah.

It is not permissible for any Muslim to join in the festivals of the kuffaar, whether by attending the festivities or enabling them to hold their celebrations, or selling any goods or products that have to do with these festivals.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote to the Minister for Trade, saying:

From Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem to His Excellency the Minister for Trade, may Allaah preserve him. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings.

We have been told that last year, some traders imported gifts for Christmas and the Christian New Year, including Christmas trees, and that some citizens bought these and gave them as gifts to Christian foreigners in our country, joining them in this festival.

This is an evil action which they should not have done. Undoubtedly you know that this is not permissible, and you are aware of what the scholars have said about there being scholarly consensus on the prohibiton on joining the kuffaar, mushrikeen and people of the Book in their festivals.

We hope that you will issue a ban on these gifts that have been brought into our country and other things that come under the same ruling and are things that are unique to their celebrations.

Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem, 3/105.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:

Some Muslims join the Christians in their celebrations. What is your advice?

He replied:

It is not permissible for any Muslim man or woman to join the Christians, Jews or others kaafirs in their festivals, rather that must be avoided, because "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against imitating them and adopting their ways. So the believer, man or woman, must beware of that; it is not permissible to help them in doing that in any way, because these festivals are against sharee'ah, so it is prohibited to take part in them or to cooperate with the people who are celebrating it, or help them in any way, whether by helping them to serve tea or coffee or in other ways such as providing vessels etc, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment"

[al-Maa'idah 5:2]

Joining in with the kuffaar on their holidays is a kind of cooperating in sin and transgression.

Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/405

In a statement issued by the scholars of the Standing Committee concerning joining in celebrations of the Millennium, they said:

… It is not permissible for a Muslim to cooperate with the kuffaar in any way with regard to their festivals, such as announcing and publicizing their festivals, including the Millennium mentioned above, or promoting them by any means, whether that is via the media or by setting up clock to "count down" to the Millennium, or making clothes or other items that commemorate the occasion, or printing greeting cards or stationery marking this occasion, or offering special discounts or prizes on these occasions, or holding sporting events or producing special logos for them etc.

Based on this, it is not permissible for you to participate in making anything that has to do with the festivals of the kuffaar; you should leave this job for the sake of Allaah, and Allaah will compensate you with something better than it in sha Allaah.

And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on buying clothing and other items during kaafir festivals in order to benefit from discounts on prices during the Christmas season

In Australia during christmas there are huge discounts on things like clothing, furniture, electronics etc. is it permisible to shop to get this discount which is generally not available during other part of the year?.


Praise be to Allaah.

There is nothing wrong with buying clothing, furniture and so on during the seasons of kaafir festivals such as Christmas, on condition that one does not buy things that are used to celebrate the festival or to imitate the kuffaar during their festivals.

In the answer to question no. 69558 it was stated that it is permissible for the Muslim to open his business during the days of kaafir festivals, subject to two conditions:

(i) that he does not sell them things that they use for sinful purposes or to celebrate their festival

(ii) that he does not sell to Muslims things that they may use to imitate the kuffaar during these festivals.

Buying items that one needs is much less serious than selling or opening one's business, and the basic principle is that it is permissible to buy things, and the fact that it happens at the time of their festival does not matter.

And Allah knows best.

 

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