Question:-
What is the Islamic ruling on boycotting a company because the owner/s support Israel or any country that oppress Muslims?
Is there scope for this in Islam and what are the proofs?
Answer:-
We haven’t come across any narrations or verses that prove boycotting of products (in Islam) so that the Kuffar may mend their ways and stop persecuting the Muslims. In fact, the Kuffar forces were the ones that signed an agreement that they will boycott and cut off all ties with Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, the Banu Hashim and their supporters, when the Muslims began increasing in number, and the ambassadors of the Quraish returned unsuccessful from Ethiopia, as Najashi honoured the Sahaabah, and Hadrat Umar and Hadrat Hamza Radiallahu Anhuma accepted Islam as a result of which the strength of the Kuffar weakened. Hence, it seems that this method of punishing a nation or group of people (by means of boycotting them) was adopted by the Kuffar.
If Muslims didn’t have sufficient manpower to fight the Kuffar, as was their condition when living in Makkah Sharif, then they were commanded to exercise patience, and when they had sufficient ability to fight the Kuffar, as was their condition when they migrated to Madinah Sharif, then they were permitted to fight the Kuffar due to being oppressed. This is the actual way of combating and countering the Kuffar and not by boycotting their products. If 2 billion Muslims in the world boycott their products then there are another 7 billion Kuffar to support them and purchase their products. So, boycotting is not the actual solution in trying to rectify the evil ways and oppression of the Kuffar. Yes, we do agree that it will affect their turnover to some extent, but that is not sufficient enough to prevent their oppression. Taking to streets, boycotting, handing over letters to the various embassies, hasn’t really changed the situation in the past. The actual solution in ridding the bad elements of society is by implementing Jihaad.
However, the Shariah does not prohibit us from boycotting Kuffar products nor from purchasing from their stores. It is the choice of every individual to decide where he wants to purchase from and from whom he wants to purchase. In fact, we as Muslims should support our stores and manufacturers as far as possible as it is the Muslims that pay Zakaat, discharge Sadaqah and Lillah, support our Masaajid and Madrasahs etc. We hope that the above explanation clarifies the matter.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 28 Shawwal 1443 / 30 May 2022
