How Does Islam View Selling Counterfeit or Replica Goods?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is it permissible to sell high-end replica products without explicitly stating they are replicas, if buyers assume they are real and we don’t correct them?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
It is permissible to sell replicas that are not passed off as genuine and acknowledged as identical to branded goods, and as long as:
- one is not going against the law of the country one is residing in, and
- one does not falsely hold the original trademark
However, counterfeit goods are not permissible to sell if they are produced maliciously to deceive and mislead people into believing that the items are genuine when they are not. [Iftaa Department, Jordan; Taqi Usmani, Fiqh al-Buyu’]
Hakim ibn Hizam (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Both parties in a business transaction have the right to annul it, as long as they have not separated. If they are truthful and clear with one another, their transaction has a blessing. If they lie and conceal something, the blessing of their transaction will be eliminated.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Advice: Don’t Be Driven by Brand Names
Sellers and buyers should prioritize quality and ethical practices over brand names. Well-made products last longer, offer better value, and support fair labor and sustainability. Thoughtful choices reflect integrity, reward in this world and the Next, and true worth, not just labels.
The Prophet’s Supplication for Wearing New Clothes
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) wore a new garment he would name it, such as a turban, a shirt, or a cloak, and then he would say,
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ كَسَوْتَنِيهِ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهُ وَخَيْرَ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ
“O Allah, praise be to you that you have dressed me with it. I ask you for its goodness and the goodness for which it was made. I seek refuge in you from its evil and the evil for which it was made.” [Tirmidhi]
Related Answers
- Iftaa’ Department – What is the Sharia ruling on selling counterfeit goods that hold the trademark of an international … (aliftaa.jo)
- Can I Sell Counterfeit Items on eBay? – SeekersGuidance
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
