Wearing a jersey with logo of company that takes interest on loans

5-6-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamualaikum, i am a fan of the football club Newcastle United. I want to buy a jersey but Newcastle United is sponsored by Wonga.com, a payday interest loan company. As a muslim am i allowed to wear a football jersey that sponsors an interest loan company?

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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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If this jersey bears the website logo of a company that deals in interest, and wearing it involves publicity for this company, then it is not permissible to wear it, because it involves publicity for vanity and helping in sin, and Allaah says (what means): {And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allaah; indeed, Allaah is severe in penalty.} [Quran 5:2]

There is another important matter that should be mentioned here. Although supporting football clubs is permissible in principle, a Muslim should not be preoccupied with it, especially as it could result in something prohibited, such as negligence or attachment to and emulation of someone who is not pleasing to Allaah.

It is more appropriate for a Muslim to be preoccupied with what benefits him in his religion and his worldly matters.

Allaah Knows best.