Fatwa n°: 445

Category: fatwas about selling and monetary transactions

The transaction in a product whose brand bears a specific symbol

Question:

Our honorable Sheikh ! We have a Turkish product which is a bar of chocolate named “Jupiter”. It is said that this name is a Greek god, so, is it permissible to buy or sell it? May Allah bless your knowledge.

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Know – May Allah be merciful with you - that the general rule concerning dealing in such symbols and trade names is to distinguish between whether it is just a commercial brand or it embodies a specific symbol, whether this brand represents a religious, racial, party or sectarian sign.

If the factory’s owner or the country have put these trademarks to indicate the name of the product in order to distinguish its quality from other products, it is apparently authorized if Allah عزَّ وجلَّ wills, whether for selling or buying.

However, if the brand represents a slogan or an ideology which is against the principles of Islam, whether it is a slogan for a certain ideology, a creed, a civilization, a sect, a race or a group, like the slogan of communists; which is the hammer and the sickle, or the slogan of the Jews which is the star of David, or the slogan of the Christians which is the cross; thus, it will not be permissible to sell, buy or wear a product having such a brand, whether it is food, drinks or clothes.

In fact, having such brands indicate the support, the consent and the loyalty to these ideologies outwardly, though this person does not approve of them by his heart, as it is forbidden to take for friends but pious people and people who call to unity.

Moreover, the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم has forbidden wearing clothes pertaining to disbelievers, as they are specific to them; with greater reason, if it has a decadent symbol or ideology which are against the Islamic religion.

According to what is previously mentioned, if the brand “Jupiter” or any other brand - like “Nike” which is the goddess of triumph for the Greek – represent a slogan or creed, and not just a trademark, they would be forbidden by the Sharia, as well as clothes and shoes which bear the brand of El-Gharqad(1) tree.

This been said, the general rule is that which we have said in the beginning. What should be confirmed, then, is to know whether this trademark is a slogan or not?

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

 

Algiers, Jumâda Al-Ûla 8th, 1427 H.
Corresponding to: June 4th, 2006



(1) El-Gharqad: a thorny shrub whose scientific name is Nitraria retusa.

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