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Fatwa CenterSelling women items
Question
What is the ruling about running a shop having items of women interests like women cosmetics, women bras, creams, lip sticks, sanitary pads, etc. and total dealing carried out by men who running the shop. Is running this shop is OK and its income is Halal?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
It is permissible for men to work as sales persons in a shop that sells women's items provided they observe the Islamic rulings such as lowering their gaze from looking at women, talking only to the extent of necessity and avoiding touching women or being in seclusion with them. Muslim men have been selling to women without objection as long as there is no suspicion of evil.
Therefore, Muslim scholars have stated that it is a Muhtasib’s (who is responsible to enjoin good and forbid evil) duty to prevent dissolute and suspicious people from dealing with women.
It is written in the book of al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyah: ‘A Muhtasib has to observe the character of those one who deal with women in markets; if they are of good character then the Muhtasib should allow them otherwise he should prevent them from doing so.' We would like to mention the advice of Ibn al-Hajj who said after mentioning the evil that could exist in dealing with women, 'A dealer in textiles, a jeweler, and seller of women’s footwear are those who most frequently deal with women, thus they should take all precautions to protect themselves from any evil that could exist. If they are not able to avoid committing sins then they are obliged to give up the trade and seek another line of work if possible.’
Allah knows best.
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