Ruling on working in a job selling counterfeit clothing and paying a bribe to bring it into the country

Praise be to Allah.

If these items of clothing are sold on the basis that they are manufactured by those internationally-known brands with those famous logos, when in fact that is not the case, then selling them and dealing in them is deceiving and cheating the purchasers. All of that is prohibited according to the teachings of our religion.

The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever deceives (people) does not belong to me.” Narrated by Muslim (102).

The matter becomes more sinful if they are brought into the country by unlawful means and haraam bribes that are paid in order to bring them in.

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (11/73): It is not permissible to sell counterfeit goods claiming that they are original, and it is not permissible to deal in them or distribute them to shops, because that comes under the heading of deceiving the Muslims, lying and defrauding them… and because that comes under the heading of cooperating in sin and transgression, and consuming people’s wealth unlawfully. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

{do not cooperate in sin and transgression} [al-Maa’idah 5:2]

{And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly} [al-Baqarah 2:188].

Moreover, that also causes harm to those who sell the original, non-counterfeit goods, and is competing unlawfully with them. Based on that, selling these goods without informing the purchaser that they are counterfeit is haraam and is a cause of blessing (barakah) being erased from one’s business dealings. End quote.

Therefore what you must do is stop dealing in these fraudulent clothes, whether you are selling them or helping to bring them into the country by any means, because this comes under the heading of helping in sin and transgression.

We ask Allah to make it easy for you to find another way of doing lawful business.

And Allah knows best.