Short answer
It depends on the item. If the thing is haram in itself, such as alcohol, you may never sell it. If it has normal halal uses, like grapes, a knife or clothes, selling it is allowed in the Hanafi school even if the buyer may misuse it, though it is disliked when you know he will. If the item is used for sin exactly as it is, selling to someone you know will do so is not allowed.
Imam Abu Hanifa permitted selling grape juice to someone who would make wine, since the sin happens only through the buyer's own act and a change in the thing; his two students disliked it. Later Hanafi jurists hold: where the sin is done with the item as it is, sale to a known wrongdoer is makruh tahrimi; where it is not, the sale is makruh tanzihi when the intent is known, and fine when it is merely possible.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- Haram when you know the buyer will use it for sin, disliked when you only suspect it; the sale is valid either way.
- Maliki
- Forbidden and void when the seller knows the buyer's sinful aim.
- Hanbali
- Haram and invalid when the seller knows, such as selling grapes to a winemaker or weapons in civil strife.
Explanation
Every trader eventually asks this. The Quran says, "do not cooperate in sin and aggression" (5:2), and the Prophet ﷺ cursed ten people involved with wine, including the one who presses grapes for it and the one who sells it. At the same time, nearly anything can be misused, and trade would stop if sellers were answerable for every buyer.
The Hanafi answer separates three cases:
- Haram in itself: alcohol, pork, idols, drugs, gambling products. Never sold. See Can a Muslim sell alcohol or pork?
- Used for sin as it is: weapons sold to someone you know is going to attack people, or a costume made only for a haram purpose. Selling to such a buyer is makruh tahrimi.
- Has ordinary halal uses: grapes, kitchen knives, cars, phones, fabric, rooms. If you do not know the buyer's aim, sell freely. If you know he will misuse it, it is disliked, and better to decline.
Examples: a clothing shop may sell normal clothes to anyone, even if some customers wear them in ways that do not meet hijab. A hardware store may sell knives. A grocer may sell grapes. A phone repair shop may fix a phone without asking what the owner watches. But renting out a hall for a party you know will be full of alcohol, or designing artwork for a casino, is helping the sin directly.
The other schools are stricter: the Maliki and Hanbali schools void a sale when the seller knows the buyer's sinful aim. For jobs, see Which jobs are haram?
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Maaida 5:2
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُحِلُّوا۟ شَعَٰٓئِرَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا ٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَلَا ٱلْهَدْىَ وَلَا ٱلْقَلَٰٓئِدَ وَلَآ ءَآمِّينَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًۭا مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَٰنًۭا ۚ وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَٱصْطَادُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُوا۟ ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ﴿٢﴾
O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
The principle behind the whole question.
Quran, Surah Al-An'aam 6:164
قُلْ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْغِى رَبًّۭا وَهُوَ رَبُّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُم مَّرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿١٦٤﴾
Say, "Is it other than Allah I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ."
The buyer answers for his own misuse.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1295
Grading to be checked... لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في الخمر عشرة عاصرها ومعتصرها ...
"The Messenger of Allah cursed ten people in connection with wine: the one who presses it and the one for whom it is pressed."
Direct help in a haram product shares its sin.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on sales (fasl fi al-bay'). Abu Hanifa's view on selling juice to a winemaker and his students' dislike.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, on selling to one who will use it for sin. The distinction between sin by the item itself and sin after it is changed.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Buyu', on selling juice to a winemaker. The Hanbali view that the sale is invalid when the intent is known.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.