#97. BUYING POULTRY TO SELL FOR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
“Assalamu Alaykum. May ALlah increase you in Ilm. A friend of mine just told me that he sold his mobile phone so as to by some chickens to rear anticipating the Christmas celebration. What is the ruling on this and how should one draw his attention to this matter, putting the effect of the current economic situation in consideration”
ANSWER
Wa alaykum salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh
Āmīn to your du’ā and may Allāh bless you too.
Alhamdulillāh!
The Ulamā have mentioned unreservedly the impermissibility of such an initiative and it is upon your friend to fear Allāh by abandoning such a plan.
Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah – rahimahullāh – said in *Iqtidā As-Sirāta Al-Mustaqīm*:
“As for the Muslim’s selling to them during their festival periods that which will help them of their Īd of food, dress, fragrance, and its likes, or to gift those to them, in this is some sort of aiding them in what helps them celebrate their harām Īd.”
It is also quoted from Imām Ibn Habīb Al-Mālikī – rahimahullāh – in ‘Al-Fatāwa Al-Kubrā’ (2/489), and *’Ahkām Ahli Adh-Dhimmah’* (3/1250) that he said:
“Don’t you see that it is not permissible for the Muslims to sell to the Christians anything that aids them in the celebration of their Eid? Neither meat, nor stew, nor clothes. They shouldn’t hire out to them their mounts (for transportation) nor aid them with anything that helps them in their celebration. This is because this is a form of veneration of their Shirk and helping them in their Kufr. This is the verdict of Malik and other than him. *I do not know of any difference on this”
It wouldn’t even be permissible to sell to Muslims that which will help them emulate the Kuffār on that day, as long as it becomes clear to the seller that this is of the Muslims that want to emulate the Kuffār on that day.
Therefore, what your friend intends to do in this regard is wrong and it is your responsibility to draw his attention to it. He should fear Allah and make his business plans based on other than this initiative.
It isn’t meant to use as excuse the economic situations that abound as there are other options to this business that are available.
We ask Allah for guidance.
Allāhu A’alam
Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu khayran.
