Transporting trade goods from one city to another

Question

The question concerns the following kind of trade: the government imposes district restrictions (a ban on moving goods out of a district) and declares it an offence to take goods, i.e. grain and the like, from one’s own place to another place. In spite of this, traders act illegally, bribe the supervising officials, move grain and the like from one place to another and trade in it. Is such trade permissible in the Shari‘a or not? If it is impermissible, what is the way for it to become permissible?

Answer

Whoever buys goods in conformity with the Shari‘a and becomes their owner has the full right to sell them anywhere, so that the money received from this sale will become his property; according to the established rule, zakat will be wajib upon him and sacrifice will also be wajib; spending such wealth on good works will also be valid.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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