Selling products in store that also sells forbidden things
Fatwa No: 345688

Question

Assalaamu alaikum. I plan to move to Canada. I have some questions regarding selling products in a store that is owned by Canadians, which are mostly non-Muslims. Is it permissible for me to sell my products in their store regardless of the fact that their store also sells haram things? For example:
1. Is it permissible for me to sell cheese on a minimarket that also sells pork or beer? (Do keep in mind that most stores sell both halal and haram things in Canada.)
2. Is it permissible for me to sell food products on a website like amazon.com or walmart.com regardless of the fact that they also sell beer, pork, and other haram products?
3. Is it permissible for me to sell products to a foreign country where most of the population consists of non-Muslims knowing that it is highly possible that my products will be sold in a supermarket that sells both haram and halal products.
I have read fatwa No. 86619: Dealing with the one who is involved in interest; fatwa No. 84460: Going into business with a non-Muslim; and fatwa No. 83645: Working at a store that sells beer and pork; which indicate that dealing with disbelievers is not advised. However, I have also read fatwa No. 296938: Selling items on websites containing violations of the Sharia; which indicates that there is no harm in engaging in buying and selling transactions with non-Muslims within what is lawful. This confuses me. One says that it is haram to help each other in sinful manners (mostly because of beer or pork), while another one says that it is permissible to sell in online stores that sell haram products; is that not the same as helping the disbelievers in doing their actions related to disbelief? May Allaah reward you well.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

As for your questions about the ruling on selling your products in stores or websites that may sell a forbidden product or sell products to the non-Muslims, know that there is nothing wrong in all this as long as your product is lawful. The evidence for this is that the Prophet dealt with the Jews in what is Islamically permissible, such as selling and buying, hiring, mortgage (security for a loan), and so on, despite the fact that the Jews consumed what is unlawful and dealt in interest.

The subject of the fatwas which you referred to in the question is different from what you are asking about. So you should beware of Waswaas (obsessive whispers) and doubts.

Allah knows best.

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