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Boycotting goods…

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari

I live in Egypt and the majority of Islamic fatwas here (and in the Middle East) call for the boycott of American products. If you please, I need to know the Islamic borderline between this boycott and between my financial wellbeing as an individual. To be more specific, I work for an American construction company, my wife works in an American university, I own a credit card from an American bank (Citibank). Yet, at the same time, I am boycotting American goods, such as fast-food restaurants and other products. Am I on the right path, or must I abandon those American-related aspects in my life, although it may cause me certain hardships (i.e. looking for another job, canceling my credit card, etc…)?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Cutting of relations and boycotting the goods of a particular country does not become obligatory upon an individual unless it is a decree that has been issued by those who are in authority or by the government. As such, it will (in normal cases) not be obligatory upon you to boycott every American product, in the sense that you will not be sinful for not doing so.

However, if a government of a particular country issues an order to boycott the products of another country, then it will become binding upon every citizen of that country to adhere to the law, for one is obliged to obey the law of the land in Muslim countries and also in non-Muslim countries due to the fact that one has a covenant with the government of obeying their laws, by living in that country.

If it is observed that a particular company (regardless of which country it is based in) uses a percentage of its profits in assisting those who are active against Muslims and undermining Islam, then one must abstain from purchasing the products of that company. One must boycott the goods of that company and also advice others to do the same. However, this will be a decision every person will have to make in his individual capacity.

And Allah knows best.

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari

This answer was indexed from Qibla.com, which used to have a repository of Islamic Q&A answered by various scholars. The website is no longer in existence. It has now been transformed into a learning portal with paid Islamic course offering under the brand of Kiflayn.

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