Can We Do Business Dealings with Non-Muslims?
Can We Do Business Dealings with Non-Muslims?
The most common question that concerns the public: If the Prophet ﷺ conducted business with non-Muslims, why can't we do the same with Shias? A research-based and logical answer.
Types of Disbelief (Kufr)
There is a major misunderstanding, even among greatest Muftis and Ulamas due to their lack of knowledge. As a result, they fail to explain the correct ruling to the public, leading people to engage in prohibited actions. It is unclear whether scholars are unaware of this or if there is a deliberate attempt to conceal the truth, causing people to stray and ruin their faith. Let’s understand this crucial issue in Islam.
Note: There are different types of disbelievers, and the rulings for each type vary.
What is Eman (Faith):
Faith means to wholeheartedly affirm and verbally acknowledge everything that the Prophet ﷺ brought from Allah, which is established with certainty through Quranic verses or mutawatir (widely transmitted) Hadith.
(Reference: Fatawa Shami, Vol. 4, Page 221)
What is Kufr (Disbelief):
Rejecting or doubting any of the necessary beliefs of Islam is called Kufr.
(Reference: Aqaid Islam, Page 187)
Two Categories of infidels
1) First Category:
This includes those who were never part of the Muslim Ummah, meaning they never accepted Islam.They are further divided into two types:
First Type:
Non-Muslim People of the Book (Ahl-e-Kitab)
These are infidels who associate themselves with a previous divine scripture, such as Jews and Christians, even though their scriptures are now altered.
Ruling on Ahl-e-Kitab:
They are given the most leniency among infidels. Islam allows good conduct with them, their food is halal, and even marriage with their women is permissible.
اَلۡيَوۡمَ اُحِلَّ لَـكُمُ الطَّيِّبٰتُ ؕ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوۡا الۡكِتٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّـکُمۡ ۖ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلٌّ لَّهُمۡ وَالۡمُحۡصَنٰتُ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ وَالۡمُحۡصَنٰتُ مِنَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡـكِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِكُمۡ اِذَاۤ اٰتَيۡتُمُوۡهُنَّ اُجُوۡرَهُنَّ مُحۡصِنِيۡنَ غَيۡرَ مُسَافِحِيۡنَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىۡۤ اَخۡدَانٍؕ وَمَنۡ يَّكۡفُرۡ بِالۡاِيۡمَانِ فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهٗ وَهُوَ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ
(Reference:Surah Al-Ma'idah, Ayah 5)
This day, good things have been made lawful for you. The food of the people of the Book is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them, and good women from among believers, and good women from among those who were given the Book before you, provided you give them their dowers, binding yourself in marriage, neither going for lust, nor having paramours. Whoever rejects Faith, his effort will go to waste and, in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers.
Note: Ahl-e-Kitab refers to those who believe in the divinely revealed books and their prophets. However, many modern Jews and Christians have become atheists or reject divine scriptures, making their food and marriage with them impermissible.
Second Type: Non-Muslim Non-Ahl-e-Kitab
These are disbelievers who do not follow any divine scripture, such as Hindus, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians.
Ruling on Non-Ahl-e-Kitab:
Marriage with them and consuming their slaughtered meat is not allowed, but trade and business transactions are permissible. In an Islamic state, they are considered Dhimmi (protected non-Muslims), entitled to safety and fair dealings.
The Prophet ﷺ conducted business with both Ahl-e-Kitab and non-Ahl-e-Kitab. However, forming close friendships or alliances with any non-Muslim is not permitted.
لَّا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُـوْنَ الْكَافِـرِيْنَ اَوْلِيَآءَ مِنْ دُوْنِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
(Reference: Surah Aal-e-Imran, Ayah 28)
The believers must not take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers.
Second Category:
This includes those who accepted Islam but later left it or altered its fundamental beliefs while still claiming to be Muslim.
First Type: Apostates (Murtads)
These are individuals who accepted Islam but later renounced it. Even if they associate themselves with Christianity or Judaism, they are still considered apostates.
Ruling on Apostates:
In an Islamic state, an apostate must be imprisoned.If a woman, she remains imprisoned until she repents. If a man, he is given three days to reconsider. If he refuses, the state must execute him.
وَمَنۡ يَّرۡتَدِدۡ مِنۡكُمۡ عَنۡ دِيۡـنِهٖ فَيَمُتۡ وَهُوَ کَافِرٌ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ حَبِطَتۡ اَعۡمَالُهُمۡ فِى الدُّنۡيَا وَالۡاٰخِرَةِ وَاُولٰٓئِكَ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ
(Reference: Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 217)
While whoever of you turns away from his faith and dies an infidel, such people are those whose deeds will go to waste in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are people of the Fire. They shall be there forever.
A Hadith states:
فقال سیدنا ابنِ عباسؓ انما قال رسول : من بدل دینہ فاقتلوہ
Sayyiduna Ibn-e- Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) said, Indeed,the Prophetﷺ said
Whoever changes his religion, kill him.
(Sunan Nasa’i, Vol. 2, Page 169)
Second Type: Zindiqs (Hypocritical Disbelievers)
These are people who claim to be Muslim but deny core Islamic beliefs, spreading false doctrines while pretending to be Muslim.
Ruling on Zindiqs:
Zindiqs are worse than apostates. Unlike an apostate, who gets three days to repent, a Zindiq is executed immediately upon being caught.
لا تقبل توبة الزندیق فی ظاھر المذھب وھو من لا یتدین بدین وفی الخانیة قالوا ان جاء الزندیق قبل ان یؤخذ فاقر انہ زندیق فتاب عن ذالک تقبل توبتہ وان اخذ ثم تاب لم تقبل توبتہ ویقتل۔
(Reference: Al-Bahr Al-Raiq, Vol. 5, Page 136)
In the apparent ruling of the religion, the repentance of a Zindiq is not accepted. A Zindiq is someone who does not truly believe in the religion. However, it is stated in Fatawa Qadi that if a Zindiq voluntarily confesses before being arrested and repents sincerely, his repentance will be accepted. But if he is arrested and then repents, his repentance will not be accepted, and he will be sentenced to death.
Shia are Zindiq:
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlavi, while classifying Shia under the ruling of zindiq, writes:
او قال ان النبیﷺ خاتم النبوة ولٰکن معنی ھذا الکلام انہ لا یجوز ان یسمی بعدہ احد بالنبی واما معنی النبوة وھو کان الانسان مبعوثا من الله تعالٰی الی الخلق مفترض الطاعة معصومًا من الذنوب ومن البقاء علی الخطا فیما یری فھو موجود فی الأمة بعد فھو الزندیق۔
(Musawwa, Vol. 2, Page 130)
if someone says that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is undoubtedly the Seal of the Prophets, but interprets this to mean that after him, no one will be given the title of prophet while the essence of prophethood namely, a person being sent by Allah to guide creation as an Imam, whose obedience is obligatory, and who is infallible, free from sin and persistent error still exists within the Ummah after him, then such a person is a Zindiq.
Zindiq’s Repentance:
If a Zindiq repents, will his repentance be accepted like that of an apostate (Murtad)?
All Islamic scholars unanimously agree that the case of a Zindiq is more severe than that of a Murtad.This is because the harm that Zindiq inflict upon the Ummah by secretly undermining the foundations of Islam is far greater than the harm caused by an apostate.Therefore, while the repentance of an apostate is unanimously accepted, the repentance of a Zindiq is not.
Allama Ibn al-Humam (رحمہ اللہ) writes in Fath al-Qadir:
The repentance of a Zindiq should not be accepted; rather, he must be executed. This is the established ruling.
(Reference: Fath Al-Qadir, Vol. 6, Page 91)
Dear readers, pay attention:
You have read the ruling of the four types of infidels. Among them, the first type of infidels, the Messenger ﷺ dealt with them in trade, transactions, and dealings.The second type of infidels can also have dealings with them. But the disbelievers in the second category, having any relationship, trade, or dealings with them is not allowed, rather it is forbidden. One can live in the same vicinity and treat non-Muslim disbelieving neighbors, such as Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and polytheists, in a good manner and behave with kindness. But apostate and Zindiq (Shia, Qadiani) neighbors do not have these rights.
Now, the Messenger ﷺ in his time, or the Sahaba of the prophet ﷺ in their time, or even today, the scholars who have dealings with the People of the Book, or the Prophet ﷺ dealings with the People of the Book, comparing them to these apostates and Zindiq (the second category of infidels, making transactions with them based on the first category, is a great foolishness, ignorance, and intellectual betrayal.The scholars who permit dealings with these Zindiq, claiming that the Messengerﷺ traded with infidels, are saying this out of ignorance and telling a wrong thing.Therefore, it is necessary for both the public and scholars to be very careful about this, otherwise, tomorrow they will also allow dealings with Qadianis, which will be the cause of spreading misguidance and heresy among Muslims.
Dar-ul-Tahqeeq wa Difa-e-Sahaba