Question:
Is it permissible to sell chickens to someone who is certain to use it for puja etc.?
Answer:
حامدا ومصليا ومسلما
Allah Ta’ala forbid both assisting in sin and being a means to a sin. He mentions in the Holy Quran:
ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان
“And do not help each other in sin and aggression.” (Surah Maa’idah:2)
He also said:
ولا تسبوا الذين يدعون من دون الله فيسبوا الله عدوا بغير علم
“Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they should revile Allah in transgression without having knowledge.” (Surah An’aam:108)
There are two actions mentioned above:
- Assisting in Forbidden Acts (اعانة على المعصية)
- To be a Means for a Sin being committed (تسبب الى المعصية)
However every means of a sin being committed is not forbidden, since this could lead to extreme difficulty. For instance selling food could be a means of nourishing a non-Muslim who will engage in impermissible acts. Therefore the late Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafee sahib (May Allah have mercy on him) wrote a detailed article on this issue and mentioned those scenarios which would be permissible and those that would not be.
There can be 4 scenarios based on the above question:
- The vendor actually intends to assist in the sin.
He sells the chicken with the intention and desire that the customer makes puja with it.
- The sin is clearly mentioned in the transaction.
The customer says, “Sell me the chicken so I can make puja with it.” The vendor accepts the offer and sells him.
Ruling: The above two scenarios are prohibited. [1]
- Distant, indirect means when he knew about the sin before the sale:
He sells the chicken to someone who will use it to make puja but this was not the vendor’s intention nor was it explicitly mentioned in the transaction.
Ruling: Some scholars say this is makrooh tanzihi (undesirable), [1] while others permit it without any reprehension. They say, selling chickens is permissible, the customer is responsible for his/her actions. [2]
- Distant, indirect means when he learnt about the sin after the sale.
He did not know that the sin would be committed at the time of the transaction, rather, he only learnt of it later.
Ruling: There will be no blame on him and he will be excused according to all the scholars. [1]
[1] Jawahirul Fiqh by Mufti Muhammad Shafee Usmani
ما قامت المعصية بعينه هو ما كانت المعصية في نفس فعل المعين بحيث لا تنقطع عنه نسبتها بفعل ذلك الفاعل المختار وذلك بثلاث وجوه: الأول أن يقصد الإعانة على المعصية. فإن من باع العصير بقصد أن يتخذ منه الخمر أو أمرد بقصد أن يفسق به كان عاصيا في نفس هذا البيع بهذه النية والقصد كذا من آجر بيتا بقصد أن يباع فيه الخمر فقامت المعصية بعين هذه الإجارة مع قطع النظرعن فعل فاعل مختار لاقتران هذه النية كما مر مصرحا في الأشباه وحظر رد المحتار والثاني بتصريح المعصية في صلب العقد كمن قال بِعْني هذا العصير لأتخذه خمرا فقال بِعْتُه…فإنه بهذا التصريح تضمن نفس العقد معصية مع قطع النظر عما يحدث بعد ذلك من إتخاذه خمرا… (ص447-448)
وأما السبب البعيد كبيع الحديد من أهل الفتنة وبيع العنب ممن يبتخذه خمرا وبيع الآجر والحطب ممن يتخذها كنيسة أو بيعة وكذا إجارة الدابة لمن يريد سفر معصية وأمثالها إذا علمفتكره تنزيها (ص 449-452)
[2] Fatawa Mahmodiyah 24/166, Mahmoodul Fatawa 5/402-403
And Allah Knows Best
