Q: Is it allowed for Muslim businessmen to promote their business through having Black Friday sales?

A: As far as Black Friday is concerned, it should be understood that it is a business and shopping event which the kuffaar promote. Though this is not a kuffaar celebration, it is among the prominent annual events which the kuffaar promote. Just as the kuffaar promote sports and sporting events and attach great significance to them, similarly they promote these types of events to boost their business and satisfy their greed. Hence, these events are part of the kuffaar culture.

We should bear in mind that we are not only prohibited from emulating the kuffar in their religious celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, Diwali, etc, but are also prohibited from emulating them in their ways, fashions, events and culture such as birthday parties, business and wedding anniversaries, valentine’s day, mother’s day, father’s day, women’s day, new year’s day, etc. In essence, all these events belong to the kuffaar culture and are alien to Islam and Islamic culture.

A Muslim should understand that all these events have nothing to do with Islam. A believer should not promote kuffaar traditions and customs nor involve himself in them. Rather, he should remain steadfast upon the Sunnah and not be swayed by the alien culture of the kuffaar. We have been commanded in the Hadith to refrain from emulating the kuffaar as well as adopting their ways. Hence, a Muslim should refrain from having Black Friday sales as this is not part of the Islamic Culture.

As believers, we believe that true respect, honour and dignity can only be attained by following the pristine, pure teachings of Islam and the Mubaarak Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). If we seek honour and respect elsewhere, we will bring nothing but disgrace and humiliation to ourselves. Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has emphasized:

إنا كنا أذل قوم فأعزنا الله بالإسلام فمهما نطلب العز بغير ما أعزنا الله به أذلنا الله

“We were the most disgraced of people. Allah Ta’ala then gave us honour through Islam. If we ever seek honour in something besides that through which Allah Ta’ala has honoured us (Islam), Allah Ta’ala will disgrace us.”

And Allah Ta’ala knows best.

وَلَا تَرۡکَنُوۡۤا اِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا فَتَمَسَّکُمُ النَّارُ ۙ وَمَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ ثُمَّ لَاتُنۡصَرُوۡنَ (هود: 113)

عن ابن عمر قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 4033)

من تشبه بقوم أي من شبه نفسه بالكفار مثلا في اللباس وغيره أو بالفساق أو الفجار أو بأهل التصوف والصلحاء الأبرار فهو منهم أي في الإثم والخير (مرقاة المفاتيح 4/431)

خرج عمر بن الخطاب إلى الشام ومعنا أبو عبيدة بن الجراح فأتوا على مخاضة وعمر على ناقة له فنزل عنها وخلع خفيه فوضعهما على عاتقه وأخذ بزمام ناقته فخاض بها المخاضة فقال أبو عبيدة يا أمير المؤمنين أنت تفعل هذا تخلع خفيك وتضعهما على عاتقك وتأخذ بزمام ناقتك وتخوض بها المخاضة ما يسرني أن أهل البلد استشرفوك فقال عمر أوه لم يقل ذا غيرك أبا عبيدة جعلته نكالا لأمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم إنا كنا أذل قوم فأعزنا الله بالإسلام فمهما نطلب العزة بغير ما أعزنا الله به أذلنا الله (المستدرك على الصحيحين للحاكم، الرقم: 207)

عن عمرو بن الحارث أن رجلا دعا عبد الله بن مسعود إلى وليمة فلما جاء ليدخل سمع لهوا فلم يدخل فقال ما لك رجعت قال إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول من كثر سواد قوم فهو منهم ومن رضي عمل قوم كان شريكا في عملهم (إتحاف الخيرة المهرة، الرقم: 3297)

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)