Wasalam
May Allah bless you.
This is a very sensitive issue. The best thing is to avoid as much as possible supporting those involved in the persecution of Muslims. When you come to a situation like this, then follow what your heart tells you.
However, there are few things I would like to highlight:
- Muslims providing direct support against innocent Muslims is not permissible
- the issue comes when the support seems to be indirect. What I mean by indirect is when we are buying products from companies known or suspected to give money to a government who will then reinvest the money to persecute Muslims. In this scenario it might be tricky to get a clear answer. I don’t have kids so I can’t say from experience, but I know Muslims who buy baby product made by Johnson without feeling guilty about it. They tell me, the product offered by them is the best for the babies, as other products they have tried does not seem to adapt with their babies. So in this scenario it is difficult to say whether these Muslims are right or wrong.
The level of globalisation we are in is unprecedented. Commercial markets are interlinked, and to avoid dealing with these sort of companies are impossible at times.
I believe that ultimately, Muslims need to up their game. They must be innovative and produce products that can make us less dependent on those companies involved directly or indirectly with the persecution of Muslims.
Also we must be consistent. For example, if we have an issue with a supermarket selling certain type of products, then we must be showing our discontentment with Muslims shops that sell the same products. I remember few Ramadans ago, I saw a group of Muslims protesting outside of a supermarket who sell Coca Cola and other products. They were calling other Muslims to boycott the supermarket all together. However during that same period, I had seen major Muslims shops in the same locality selling the same products. Never I had seen a single person protesting or leaving flyers outside of those shops calling for their boycott.
Finally, we must not look down upon those Muslims who chose to buy or trade with certain of these companies. Neither we must think bad of those who chose not to buy anything from them.
May Allah guide us, protect us and help those of us who are being oppressed around the world. May He elevate their ranks in the Hereafter.
Aameen