Giving food to non-Muslims during fasting hours


Question:

Are we allowed to give food and drink to our non-Muslim neighbours in Ramadhān knowing that they might consume it during fasting hours?

Answer:

Non-muslims are subject to Islāmic Law and addressed by Islāmic Law even though [their compliance to] it is not accepted from them until after they [accept] Islām. So, they should not be aided by the Muslims in eating and drinking.

But if he does it of his own accord and has entered a Muslim country under the protection of the ruler he is to be left alone unless his eating and drinking in front of the Muslims is detrimental to them, in this case the ruler can stop him.

As for the narration where ‘Umar – may Allāh تعالى be pleased with him – sent that silk garment to his disbelieving brother in Makkah; some of the scholars said; he did not send it for him to wear, he only sent it for him to benefit from through trade or to give to one of his wives, not for him to wear and be aided in this because he is addressed by Islamic Law and this matter is harām for us and harām for them, so on this basis do not give them food to eat in the daytime of Ramadhān, give them at night.

أهْدَيْتُمْ لِجَارِنَا الْيَهُودِيِّ؟

Did you give [the sheep] as a gift to our Jewish neighbour?

[Tirmidhi – 1943 ]

So, it is good to be generous to the neighbour even if he is a disbeliever, especially if one hopes his neighbour will embrace Islām due to this generosity.

Answered by: Shaykh Abū Bilāl – may Allāh preserve him

Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/8475

Answered on: 16 Ramadhān 1443 (17th April 2022)

Translated by: Abū Sufyān Sāmi ibn Daniel Al-Ghāni