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Is It Permissible to Hoard Items During This Coronavirus Pandemic?

27 March, 2020
Q As we are going through this Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, many people rush to stores to buy their needs of food and home stuff and accumulate such goods for the period of self-isolation which may extend to weeks and even months. However, sometimes people hoard goods and purchase an unreasonable quantity of items which empty stores of basic items and make it difficult for other customers to buy their needs either because there are no goods in the market or because their prices skyrocketed. What is the ruling of such practice? When is it halal to buy and store items for the self-isolation period and when does it become haram?

Answer

Sheikh Mustafa Umar
27 March, 2020

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

1- It is permissible, and even recommended, to store up items in case of an emergency such as Coronavirus (COVID-19).

2- It is important in times of crisis not to hoard and take away resources from other people.

3- It is important to share important supplies with family and neighbors.

Answering your question, Sheikh Mustafa Umar, President of California Islamic University, states:

It is permissible, and even recommended, to store up items in case of an emergency. This is more recommended during a time of crisis, the way that Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) stored up grain when he knew there was going to be a famine. However, he stored it up for the community, and not only for his personal benefit.

It is important in times of crisis such as the Coronavirus pandemic not to hoard and take away resources from other people. Perhaps a good idea is to get a group of people together and stock up the necessary supplies, with the promise that each member of the group will share it with others in case they are in need.

This will help cover the needs of individuals as well as smaller groups, and not cause excessive hoarding of supplies.

Also, it is important to share important supplies with family and neighbors. This is more in line with the spirit of Islam. 

Lastly, the Prophet said, “Food for one person is enough for two, and food for two is enough for four.” (Muslim)

This applies to toilet paper, facial tissue, hand sanitizer, etc. We often buy and use more than we need, just like food. It is important to reduce usage and to share with others.

Almighty Allah knows best.