The Participation of Disbelievers in Commercial Ventures
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Fatwa No. ( 5855 ):
Q: We live in Australia , and Australia is a country that describes itself as secular and non-religious, with freedom of belief for all religions and non-religions. Yet we see the radio and television media covered in Christian and Jewish garb, which any observer can clearly see. Muslims represent (one) out of (thirty-two) of the country's population. As Muslims, we are sometimes forced to enter their centers and places of worship. One may also sometimes be forced to attend funerals (the funeral prayer) for the soul of a friend or an official or the like, as required by work circumstances or responsibility. One of these people may enter our homes and sit at our tables, and may even ask us to let him look inside the mosque and walk around it (naturally
within the bounds of Islamic etiquette, such as removing shoes or wearing a head covering for women). What is the legal ruling on these matters? 1 - Our entering their homes. 2 - Our attending their religious ceremonies. 3 - Our participating with them in commercial ventures. 4 - Their entering our homes. 5 - Their entering our places of worship. 6 - Can they speak in our mosques to deliver a word? 7 - Can they deliver a word in our celebrations outside the mosque in a lecture hall? 8 - Can we meet with them ( Jews and Christians in a general meeting organized by the Australian state or one of its institutions, where each of us speaks about a specific aspect of religious matters, for example (peace in religions), (mercy in religions), (the meaning of worship in religions), and so on.
A: First: It is permissible for you to enter their homes; to reconcile their hearts, and to advise them, guide them, and for similar benefits, not out of affection and loyalty toward them.
Second: It is not permissible for you to attend their religious ceremonies, for that implies recognizing them, approving of them, and honoring them. It also increases their numbers in the gathering for performing their religious rites. Third: It is permissible to participate with them in lawful commercial ventures, provided that the Muslim who partners with them is safe from their deception and their dealing in what Allah has forbidden, such as riba (usury or interest), gambling, and excessive uncertainty in a contract, and the like. However, leaving off participation with them in trade is better and more appropriate; to avoid sources of doubt, places of accusation, suspicions, and danger. Fourth: It is permissible for us to allow them to visit us in our homes, provided there is safety from fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and the preservation of the family's sanctities, as long as it serves to reconcile their hearts and to advise and guide them. Perhaps they will find in good treatment and observing the etiquette of visiting the leniency of Islam, and they will respond to the advice and enter into Islam. Allah the Exalted said:
(8) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (9) Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
لاَ يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (8) إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَand it is not permissible for Muslims to enable them to do so. It is permissible for them to enter other places prepared for worship to hear sermons and Islamic lectures; perhaps Allah will place affection between us and them and soften their hearts, and He will accept their repentance, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Sixth and Seventh: It is not permissible for us to enable them to deliver words or lectures in the mosques of Muslims, for they cannot be trusted not to raise doubts or to be blasphemous toward the religion of Allah, or to gain prestige from that in the eyes of the attendees, which would be a great fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and corruption. The same ruling applies to their delivering words or lectures in our gatherings and assemblies specific to Muslims; for the reasons mentioned above. Eighth: It is permissible for us to meet with disbelievers in general assemblies established and organized by the state for debates, academic seminars, and delivering lectures on religious affairs, on the condition that the Muslim scholars present explain the beliefs, pillars, and etiquette of Islam, and refute the doubts raised by those present from the people of other religions regarding Islam, and dismantle their claims by which they distort Islam... and so on, all of which is in support of the truth and defense of it. As for the Muslim who is at risk of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in his religion due to his ignorance, or the weakness of his preparation and thinking, or his lack of information about his religion, it is not permissible for him to attend these assemblies and the like; to protect him from
fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), and out of fear that doubt and suspicion may enter him. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.