Giving gifts to non-Muslims and accepting gifts from them

Question

Question: (1) On the occasion of Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights) the Hindus worship sugarcane. Muslim cultivators give sugarcane to the Hindus: if they do not give it, there is fear of harm; and they give puffed rice. (2) What is the ruling on Muslims giving sugarcane to the Hindus without any fear of harm, and taking puffed rice, sugar drops and the like from the Hindus?

Answer

(1) Maintaining a bond of love and friendship with disbelievers is impermissible in the Shari‘a; however, maintaining a relationship of dealings (mu‘amalat) for worldly needs is permissible. Therefore, if the cultivator fears harm in not giving the sugarcane, then giving sugarcane in order to avoid that harm is permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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