What is the ruling on buying from shops that sell forbidden items, such as cigarettes and magazines, etc.?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, in some markets in some cities, there are shops that sell magazines and cigarettes, and some committed Muslims buy from these small shops, meaning they support them. What is the ruling on buying from them?
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning the magazines contain images, or cigarettes?
The questioner : Markets with shops that sell cigarettes, magazines, and newspapers.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And some committed people frequent them.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what is the ruling on buying from them? And is this considered supporting them?
The Shaykh : Yes, I understood. You are saying: If these small shops and commercial stores sell forbidden things, is it permissible for us to buy something permissible from them, or not?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : I think that if it is possible for you to buy from others, that is better, so that people will reduce their patronage of these shops, and then they will be forced to stop selling this forbidden item. However, if you cannot find any other shop, or if this one is more suitable than the others, either because it is cheaper or because it is closer to your home, or something similar, then there is no blame on them.
The Shaykh : Yes, meaning the magazines contain images, or cigarettes?
The questioner : Markets with shops that sell cigarettes, magazines, and newspapers.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : And some committed people frequent them.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what is the ruling on buying from them? And is this considered supporting them?
The Shaykh : Yes, I understood. You are saying: If these small shops and commercial stores sell forbidden things, is it permissible for us to buy something permissible from them, or not?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : I think that if it is possible for you to buy from others, that is better, so that people will reduce their patronage of these shops, and then they will be forced to stop selling this forbidden item. However, if you cannot find any other shop, or if this one is more suitable than the others, either because it is cheaper or because it is closer to your home, or something similar, then there is no blame on them.