Fatwa ID: 01697

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

I am about to start a new business i.e. t-shirt printing business. I will be buying plain t-shirts at wholesale price (from china) and printing variable designs on it. I will be contacting schools, colleges, hospitals, event managers, sports managers, protesters, local sports teams, hotels, small business owners, etc. But, my questions are:
1. Is it permissible to do t-shirt business?
2. Is it permissible to print animated cartoons and people images?
3. Can we print non-living things like mobile phones, skull, skeleton, love symbols, national holidays, buildings, logos, slogans, taglines, business names, etc. and living things like trees, plants, flowers, etc?
I am waiting for your answer. I would be glad, if you clearly specify what to print and what not to print because I doesn't want my income to be mixed with haraam.

 Answer:

It is permissible to start of a t shirt business and colour them or dye them in different colours. It is also permissible to dye them in bright colours even though bright coloured clothing such as red, orange etc… are considered to be Makruh for men in the Hanafi Fiqh, but the dyeing and the making of it is allowed. (Ilaus Sunan p.358-360 v.17)

Regarding your second question, it will not be permissible to print animated cartoons and images on the t shirt.

Finally, it will be permissible to print non-animated pictures of living things like trees, flowers etc… and non-living things.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham