Question
A business is involved in the retail of material and haberdashery items and other related products. The material sold is used mainly for the preparation of church garments and the items like beads etc and kangas. Is it permissible to have such a business?
Answer
The selling of such material will not be regarded as a direct means of disobedience rather an indirect means of disobedience (if used for church garments). This is similar to a person that is selling grape juice, which can either be consumed by the purchaser as is, which is totally permissible, or be used in the manufacturing of wine which is impermissible.
Another example is of a person that lets out his empty premises to someone for residing in, which is totally permissible, yet the tenant then worships false deities in one corner of that premises. Due to dual possibilities existing in the above mentioned examples, the transaction will be valid and permissible in the light of Shariah.
Similarly, the material that is being sold can be used for various other purposes as well, thus the sale of the material is quite in order. It is not necessary for the shop keeper to enquire from the customer as to why he is purchasing the material. Yes, if the material cannot be used for any other purpose and the seller intends selling the material only for manufacturing garments that will be used in the church, this will be regarded as assisting one in an act of disobedience thus rendering the transaction as impermissible.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
Jawahirul Fiqh pg.512 vol.7