Answered by Mufti Yusuf Mullan
I was wondering if it is allowed for us to eat Pizza, since many if not all of the stores that serve Pizza have a pizza slicer, that they use to cut pie’s that may have pepperoni on it. Does that make the Pizza dirty? Secondly would be able to eat anything, such as eggs, cooked on a grill. Because they may likewise cook bacon on the grill.
In the name of Allah, ar-Rahman, ar-Raheem and may his abundant blessings be showered on his beloved prophet, the best of creation.
In themselves vegetarian and cheese pizzas are permissible for Muslims to order from pizza out-lets and consume. In order to avoid possible contamination as mentioned in the question, employees can be asked to use washed utensils and cutting knifes.
Having undertaken these precautions, eating will be lawful, provided no other clear sign of contamination exists. This is the legal ruling regarding such pizzas.
However, since vegetarian and cheese pizzas are cooked in the same ovens as pizzas with pork and other haram toppings, avoiding even these would be strongly recommended. It is highly possible for the grease from the pork etc. to accumulate on the ceiling of the oven and then drip down onto the vegetarian pizza, thus contaminating it.
And Allah knows best.
Yusuf Mullan,
http://www.shariahprogram.ca/
[Mufti Yusuf Mullan is Director of the Toronto Shariah Program (www.shariahprogram.ca). After long years of study, he completed the specialization in fiqh & legal verdicts (ifta’) under top scholars such as Shaykh Taqi Usmani Shaykh Mahmud Usmani.]