Fatwa: # 19479
Category: Financial Transactions
Country: South Africa
Date: 6th October 2011

Title

Is it permissible to sell boxes with “Happy Diwali” printed on them?

Question

Is it permissible for us to sell Diwali boxes? This is a white cake box with words happy Diwali printed on it

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Diwali is a festival celebrated by Hindus reflecting their polethiestic beliefs.  The term is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “row of lights” which are lit to bid the farewell of Lakshmi, one of their idols. [i]

As Muslims, Allah Taa’la has showered his mercy upon us by bestowing us with the wealth of Islam.  Islam is the way of life that is perfect and complete.  Hence selling such products that advertise false views will be totally against the sense of honor of a believer and undesirable.[ii]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mawlana Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
US

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net

[i] Encyclopedia of Britannica

[ii]  وَيَأْتِي تَمَامُهُ قَرِيبًا ( قَوْلُهُ : يُكْرَهُ لِأَهْلِ الْحَرْبِ ) مُقْتَضَى مَا نَقَلْنَاهُ عَنْ الْفَتْحِ عَدَمُ الْكَرَاهَةِ ، إلَّا أَنْ يُقَالَ : الْمَنْفِيُّ كَرَاهَةُ التَّحْرِيمِ وَالْمُثْبَتُ كَرَاهَةُ التَّنْزِيهِ ؛ لِأَنَّ الْحَدِيدَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَقُمْ الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِعَيْنِهِ لَكِنْ إذَا كَانَ بَيْعُهُ مِمَّنْ يَعْمَلُهُ سِلَاحًا كَانَ فِيهِ نَوْعُ إعَانَةٍ تَأَمَّلْ ( قَوْلُهُ : نَهْرٌ ) عِبَارَتُهُ : وَعُرِفَ بِهَذَا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ بَيْعُ مَا لَمْ تَقُمْ الْمَعْصِيَةُ بِهِ كَبَيْعِ الْجَارِيَةِ الْمُغَنِّيَةِ وَالْكَبْشِ النَّطُوحِ وَالْحَمَامَةِ الطَّيَّارَةِ وَالْعَصِيرِ وَالْخَشَبِ الَّذِي يُتَّخَذُ مِنْهُ الْعَازِفُ ، وَمَا فِي بُيُوعِ الْخَانِيَّةِ مِنْ أَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ بَيْعُ الْأَمْرَدِ مِنْ فَاسِقٍ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ يَعْصِي بِهِ مُشْكِلٌ .

وَاَلَّذِي جَزَمَ بِهِ فِي الْحَظْرِ وَالْإِبَاحَةِ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ بَيْعُ جَارِيَةٍ مِمَّنْ يَأْتِيهَا فِي دُبُرِهَا أَوْ بَيْعُ الْغُلَامِ مِنْ لُوطِيٍّ وَهُوَ الْمُوَفِّقُ لِمَا مَرَّ .

وَعِنْدِي أَنَّ مَا فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى كَرَاهَةِ التَّنْزِيهِ وَالْمَنْفِيُّ هُوَ كَرَاهَةُ التَّحْرِيمِ ، وَعَلَى هَذَا فَيُكْرَهُ فِي الْكُلِّ تَنْزِيهًا ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي إلَيْهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ النَّفْسُ ؛ لِأَنَّهُ تَسَبَّبَ فِي الْإِعَانَةِ ، وَلَمْ أَرَ مَنْ تَعَرَّضَ لِهَذَا ، وَاَللَّهُ تَعَالَى الْمُوَفِّقُ ا هـ (رد المحتار, ج 4, ص268 )

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