Title Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Council on Boycotting Products Manufactured by Non-Muslims[1]
Original Title الفتاوى الشرعية في القضايا العصرية
Author Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Council
Translated by Abu az-Zubayr Harrison (rahimahullaah)
Question: Some people these days call others to boycott American products and companies like Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, etc. So, should we comply with such requests? Are transactions like buying and selling with non-Muslims in countries at war against us permissible, or are they only allowed with those with whom we have peace?
Answer: It is allowed to buy any product that is permissible in itself no matter where it was produced unless the government commands that we should boycott something for some benefit to Islam or the Muslims. This is because the general rule regarding buying and selling is that it’s allowed, Allāh (تعالى) says:
﴿وَأَحَلَّ اللَّهُ الْبَيْعَ﴾
And Allāh has made selling permissible.
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:275]
And the prophet (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) used to buy things from the Jews.[2]