Selling on the street

11-3-2009 | IslamWeb

Question:

Asslkm,
I m Firoz frm India,working in saudi arabia.
Actually footpath business is illegal here in saudi. but v buy vegetables/fruits from these footpath. if Muncipality people see them, they will catch them bcs its illegal.
is it haram/halal to buy from them?

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

In principle, it is permissible to buy goods from the people who sell on the streets, however, if the government forbids selling on the streets for the general benefit of the public, then one should respect this and avoid buying from those who sell on the streets for the public benefit and out of obedience to the Muslim rulers [the people in charge] whom we are ordained to obey as long as they do not order us to do what is disobedience to Allaah. In which case, whoever contravenes these rules and buys from them, it is feared that he will be sinful as he is helping in sin.

Allaah Knows best.