Donations for feeding the poor from non-Muslim restaurants and businesses
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Question
I have a brief question. After reviewing a few answers on Sunnipath, it seems that in the Hanafi school, one can accept a gift from a non-Muslim even if that money was obtained through selling pork and alcohol.
Could one then request donations from various restaurants who may sell pork and alcohol as part of their menu (though not the entirety) in order to donate that money towards feeding the poor?
In turn, could one ask non-Muslims to donate for the same cause without enquiring about their income?
It seems from your answer to a bequest question that this would be permissible, but I wanted to be sure I understood it correctly:
"As for the earnings being from a pub: the earnings of non-Muslims from wine and pork are permitted for them. We are allowed to deal with them in lawful ways (such as accepting a gift or bequest, or buying and selling permitted items), even when their wealth is based on these items. (Fatawa Hindiyya, Radd al-Muhtar)"
Answer
In the Name of Allah, with blessings and peace on the Messenger of Allah
walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits.
Yes, it is permitted to accept gifts from non-Muslims and also donations, even if their earnings were questionable or haram according to the Shariah. With respect to them, we hold non-Muslims' earnings to be lawful, regardless of source.
However, scrupulousness may entail avoiding those whose businesses or lines of activity entail haram.
And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani
This answer was published by SunniPath and is preserved as written. Rulings can depend on circumstances; for your own situation, consult a qualified scholar.
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