Boycott 1 2 3

I was sitting back relaxing while sipping peacefully on my favourite chocky milk. I noticed that the packaging had changed since the last time I’d bought it. It featured an easy to read nutritional information display and...DANONE!!!! Oh, woe is me, how often has this happened in these past years. My favourite childhood treats have gone the way of Nestles or Danone. It was a sad day that another old friend parted company. Now I have lost all my old mate dairy products, half the cereals, most of the cleaning products and all the fast food chains.

In 1945, before the State of Israel came into existence, the Arab League declared a boycott on all Jewish/Zionist (these two terms were used synonymously) products and services, as well as those who do business with them and the people who do business with the people who do business with them. So there were three layers of boycott just to be safe.

As time passed, the boycott weakened as financial desires grew and all the Arab League countries ditched the tertiary level of the boycott. A little more time passes and all the GCC countries and friends stopped the second level of the boycott (the level which includes most of the products on the latest boycott lists).

It is up to us then! I think it would be near impossible to practice all three levels of boycott, but for sure it is possible to maintain the primary and secondary levels. Whether or not you agree with the Islamic evidences for boycotting, it is a duty on us to:

“Make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy...” (surah al-Anfal:60)

We the regular people, the masses, may not be able to fight our enemy in war but we can do as much as we can in preventing our money going to undesirable ends. Boycott is a legitimate method to wage war without military force. Spend in the way of Allah, not in the way of taghut.

“Spend in the Cause of Allah and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in His Cause), and do good, truly Allah loves the good doers.” (surah Al-Baqarah: 195)

“O Prophet, strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell – and worst indeed is that destination” (surah At-Tauba:73)

We will be questioned on qiyyama about every single cent we spent in our lives. How would you feel if you paid for the bullet which killed your brother or sister? Boycotted products may not be haram, but if you have a conscience, you’ll boycott.