Fatwa ID: 07479
Answered by Maulana Ahmed Bodhania
Question
I want to start an Islamic gift business in the UK, the usual cakes, cards, flowers and customised gift items. I do not advertise birthday and anniversaries in my business/website at all.
But what should I do with customers asking for a personalised message where they want happy birthday typed in on a card or want it on the cake or on any other gift item, etc. Can I decline their requests? I will lose customers as birthday anniversaries are not an Islamic practices, but it is widely common in Muslims today..
Even if I do this business in Pakistan (a Muslim country), they have the same requests, no difference in that.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Regarding your question it is important to keep two points in mind:
- Celebrating of birthdays is not found in our Deen and not to engage in this practice will be better.
- The selling of birthday cakes, cards etc. does not fall under the category of items that are haram to sell e.g. pork, alcohol etc., so in other words the wealth acquired from the sale of it will in essence not be considered as Haram wealth and money.
In conclusion the best option if possible, would be to kindly advise your customers that you feel uncomfortable in assisting in such events.
Keep in mind Rizq and sustenance is from Allah Ta’ala and he can give you much more from other avenues compared to what you will be losing out from the sale of the above, our reliance and trust should be on Allah Tallah for our sustenance and not on the means as he can provide for us from various means.
However, if you cannot manage this and would not be able to lose the sale of such items and loss of those customers, then the money acquired from those sales would not be considered to be haram money.
Only Allah Ta’ala knows best
Maulana Ahmed Bodhania
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -:”من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس فيه؛ فهو رد”.
صحيع البخاري ج2 ص220
وَفِي الْمُحِيطِ لَا يُكْرَهُ بَيْعُ الزَّنَانِيرِ مِنْ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَالْقَلَنْسُوَةِ مِنْ الْمَجُوسِيِّ،
رد المختار ج6 ص392 دار الفكر
