Selling food to non-Muslims in the daytime during Ramadan
Question:
A man owns a restaurant in a non-muslim country in which he sells food. Is he sinful if he sells to non-muslims in the daytime during the month of Ramadan?Answer:
Answer:
Yes (he is sinful). It is not permissible for him to sell to non-muslims in the daytime during the month of Ramadan and it is more befitting for him to close his restaurant at this time – except items other than food and drink, this is an entirely different matter. As for food and drink; then no (they cannot be sold).
He cannot sell them alcohol or pork in the daytime during the month of Ramadan or any other time for that matter and say “this is only for the non-muslims, we do not sell it to muslims”. This is unacceptable.
He must honour this time, for it is indeed an honoured time. This is what we advise with; that he does not sell to them because they too will be held to account according to Islamic Law and are sinful for not complying to it; meaning they will be punished for failing to comply to it on the Day of Judgement.
《مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِى سَقَرَ 》
“What put you into Saqar (the Hell-Fire)?”
《قَالُوا۟ لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ 》
They will say, “We were not of those who prayed
《 وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ ٱلْمِسْكِينَ》
Nor did we used to feed the poor.
《وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ ٱلْخَآئِضِينَ 》
And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged [in it],
《 وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ 》
And we used to deny the Day of Recompense
《حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰنَا ٱلْيَقِينُ 》
Until death came to us”
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِى سَقَرَ
(Al-Muddaththir: 42-47)
However, they are not ordered by it until after (attaining) faith and (entering) Islam, so if they were to fulfil its obligations prior to this, it would not be accepted from them.
《وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَن تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَٰتُهُمْ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ》
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger.
(At-Taubah: 54)
Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Bilal Al Hadhrami (May Allah preserve him)
Source:
https://t.me/abubilalhami/4197
Answered On:
17th Rajab 1441 ( 12th March 2020):
Translated by:
Abu Sufyaan Saami ibn Daniel Al-Ghaani