Rules on How to Interact with Non-Muslims

Ayatollah Sistani: Bhuddhists and Sikhs

1 Question: Can Muslim, who rents a fully furnished house in the West, consider everything in it to be ritually pure as long as he does not find any trace of impure things in it, even if the previous occupant was from Ahlul Kitab, i.e. a Christian or a Jew? What if the previous occupant was a Bhuddhist or an atheist who does not believe in God and the prophets?

Answer: Yes, he can consider everything in the house ritually pure as long as he does not know that it has become impure. Just conjecture or doubt about impurity is of no value.

2 Question: Are the Bhuddhists among the Ahlul Kitab?

Answer: They are not from them.

3 Question: Are the Sikhs considered to be among the followers of the past revealed religions like the Jews and the Christians?

Answer: They are not counted among the People of the (Revealed) Books (the Ahlul Kitab).

4 Question: What is the fatwa about Ahlul Kitab? Are they clean or unclean?

Answer: The Ahlul Kitab (that is, the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians) are ritually pure (tahir) as long as you do not know that they have become ritually impure (najis) by coming into contact with an impure object. You can follow this ruling when dealing with them. [1]

Notes:
[1] Question & Answer » Polytheism: http://www.sistani.org/english/qa/01295/