The Sale of Flowers
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Fatwa No. ( 17156 ):
Q: Recently, the phenomenon of selling flowers at hospital entrances has spread, with varying prices; ranging from fifty riyals to as much as one or two thousand. These flowers are presented to the patient in the hospital after purchase, imitating what disbelievers do in their lands for their sick. People have begun to boast about this and squander money on it, as the flowers quickly wither and are thrown into the trash. We fear, O Noble Father, that the matter will escalate to placing them with the dead and at their graves, as is done in the West and in some Arab countries. It is known that these flower shops are usually located next to churches in the lands of disbelief. We hope that you will issue a fatwa on this matter and work to prevent it.
A: Based on what has been mentioned, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has issued a ruling that this custom is forbidden; because it involves squandering and wasting money in something that is not a right, and imitating the enemies of Allah in this action.
Q: Recently, the phenomenon of selling flowers at hospital entrances has spread, with varying prices; ranging from fifty riyals to as much as one or two thousand. These flowers are presented to the patient in the hospital after purchase, imitating what disbelievers do in their lands for their sick. People have begun to boast about this and squander money on it, as the flowers quickly wither and are thrown into the trash. We fear, O Noble Father, that the matter will escalate to placing them with the dead and at their graves, as is done in the West and in some Arab countries. It is known that these flower shops are usually located next to churches in the lands of disbelief. We hope that you will issue a fatwa on this matter and work to prevent it.
A: Based on what has been mentioned, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has issued a ruling that this custom is forbidden; because it involves squandering and wasting money in something that is not a right, and imitating the enemies of Allah in this action.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.