Asalam Alaykum! I want to buy an Alfa Romeo. The only issue is that the I feel like driving it is haram because the brand’s logo is this according to the brands logo description “A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) was founded on June 24th, 1910 in Milan, Italy. Two of the traditional symbols of Milan were chosen to make up the badge – the cross of the municipality and the Visconti serpent, which were included on a disc with the lettering ALFA-MILANO printed around the edge“ since it’s an Italian car, they have the Milan flag which has a cross in it. Is it haram to buy drive this car? I hope the car guys know what car I’m talking about. Thank you!
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if it is, then so is BMW - the blue and white badge is also a cross. That would embarrass about 1/4 of the brothers who go to a mosque near me...and the qari too. I don't know if its haram, like also chevy use a blatant Cross and i wouldn't go that far for chevy either, but I never had any wish to have one of those cars for that very reason.– secret squirrelCommented Jul 13, 2020 at 20:58
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An Alfa Romeo or BMW or Chevy are all a kind of dabah from the fiqh perspective as long as you don't start worshiping those or buying them right because of this cross sign it might be ok. (I guess it shouldn't even be impossible to remove them). So basically it strongly depends on you whether this is a reason for buying a car, whether you'd be happy having a car having this sign on it etc.. IMHO you should leave it and look for a different car.– Medi1Saif ♦Commented Jul 14, 2020 at 13:51
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1This fatwa on islamqa -in Arabic- basically allows buying a -certain model of- Chevrolet. The main point seems to be whether the cross like sign is taken from the christian cross or not. if it just was a cross like sign it is ok.– Medi1Saif ♦Commented Jul 14, 2020 at 13:54
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1 Answer
In a fatwa (my main source) it is said:
Making crosses, buying them, or weaving them into garments or putting them on walls, and so on come under the heading of prohibited actions that it is not permissible for the Muslim to commit. So he should not make them himself or help anyone else in doing that; rather he should fear Allah, may He be exalted, and avoid the symbols of disbelief that the Christians have fabricated in their religion.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to make crosses, whether for payment or otherwise, or to sell crosses, just as it is not permissible to sell or make idols, as it is proven in as-Saheeh that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Verily Allah has forbidden the sale of alcohol, dead meat [that which is not slaughtered in the prescribed manner], pork and idols.” End quote.
Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa (22/141). See also: al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (12/84-88) (islamqa #121170)
We may also find in the sunnah:
Narrated 'Aisha:
I never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
But not everything that looks like a cross sign is a cross.
Else Muslims should stop using the known mathematical symbols such as the addition symbol "+".
It is essential to check first whether what one sees is a (Christian) "Cross" or not. A distinction is essential (See for example on here wikipedia). You could take as a rule of thumb as long as there is any doubt that the cross like symbol is a cross it is permissible. An example of these are symbols that may look like a cross, but actually are not like the "+" sign the "x" sign or letter etc.. Another rule of thumb is if it is a Christian cross then usually they would treat it as such.
- For example in the case of a Chevrolet the matter can somehow be refuted or rejected.
- As for the case of BMW it can clearly be refuted as it has the colors of bavaria which usually are placed in a rhombus, so the cross form here is totally unintentional.
- In the case of an Alfa Romeo the matter seems to be the opposite as the Flag of Milan which is a part of the logo of this car manufacturer is based on the Cross of Saint George.
For further information refer to this fatwa on guidelines on forms of cross that are prohibited (islamqa #121170)
answered Jul 14, 2020 at 14:20
