Buying a bakery that sells pork products
Question
(1) We have been presented with an opportunity to purchase a bakery business for £1 which currently has approximately 30% sales from pork. We would like to understand if this acquisition is permissible under any circumstances i.e. if we purified the revenue or profits from pork products, if we intended to phase pork out or bring to acceptable limit (<5%) with a revamp of product range (over 12 months) etc.
(2) If this is not permissible, then what if our intention is to buy and quickly dispose of the business for a profit. The source of our profit from would be the assets and selling the business parts to others, however this may require us to run the business for a short period during this process. Would this be permissible?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Answer
(1) It is not permissible to buy and sell unlawful products such as pork products. Therefore, to purchase a business that will involve the sale of pork products, irrespective of the percentage, is not permissible. All products must be compliant with Ḥalāl regulations from the beginning. Nevertheless, if you did proceed, then the proceeds of the Ḥalāl products will be lawful, but the proceeds of the Ḥarām products will have to be donated to charity without intention of reward.
In addition, your query only referred to pork. The same rule applies to all unlawful products including of chicken and meat and other animal-based products that are not Ḥalāl. The restriction is not confined to pork-based products.
(2) If you were buying just the assets and machinery and selling them then this would be permissible, as there is nothing wrong with the assets and machinery per se. However, you are proposing to buy the business which includes all the stock and ingredients and thereafter selling the whole business including the stock and ingredients and possibly running the business also which would mean buying and selling the unlawful products. Therefore, this is not permitted.
قال الله تعالى: إنما حرم عليكم الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير. وقال تعالى: حرمت عليكم الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير. وقال تعالى: قل لا أجد في ما أوحي إلي محرما على طاعم يطعمه إلا أن يكون ميتة أو دما مسفوحا أو لحم خنزير۔
وقال محمد في الأصل (٢/٤٤٥): ولو اشتراها بخمر أو خنزير كان هذا باطلا، انتهى. وقال القدوري في مختصره (ص ٨٣): إذا كان أحد العوضين أو كلاهما محرما، فالبيع فاسد كالبيع بالميتة أو بالدم أو بالخمر أو بالخنزير، انتهى۔
Allah knows best
Yusuf Shabbir
25 Dhū al-Ḥijjah 1446 / 21 June 2025
Approved by: Mufti Shabbir Ahmed and Mufti Muhammad Tahir
