GEORGE TOWN: Penang mufti Datuk Seri Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor has warned traders that selling overpriced and low quality food, especially food that is spoilt, is haram.
This follows several complaints on social media from netizens claiming food bought at several Ramadan bazaars were spoilt or overpriced.
Wan Salim said such traders were involved in cheating people of their money.
"There are several hadiths which say that anyone involved in cheating when selling goods are not part of the ummah.
"So, I urge traders not to take advantage of the needs of the people, especially when it comes to food for the breaking of fast. Besides, Ramadan is a good time for traders to obtain graces from Allah SWT," he said.
Wan Salim said Islam was a religion that emphasised love for one another and urged a spirit of brotherhood among the ummah as well as human kind.
In fact, he said, in the hadith of the life of Bukhari, the Prophet had said that Allah cherished those who were reasonable in matters of trade.
"This attitude is also one of the pillars of a Madani nation, the slogan of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's administration," he said.
Several complaints have gone viral on social media since the very first day of Ramadan, on March 23.
Among them were claims of nasi ayam berempah that cost RM15 per packet and roti john and murtabak which were already spoilt.