Is it permissible to rent a café that offers “hubble-bubble pipes” in order to sell food?

It seems that it is not permissible for you to rent this place to serve food and drink, because smoking the hubble-bubble pipe is haraam, as it is a waste of money and causes the Muslim to harm himself and others who smell this foul smoke. See question no. 10922 and 7432. 

The basic principle is that the Muslim should avoid these places of sin and keep away from them, and he should not offer them any help or serve things that will make people stay there longer such as permissible food and drinks. Renting part of the casino in order to serve food to these sinners goes against the command to the Muslims to change evil wherever he sees it, and it goes against the command to avoid places of evil and sin. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Qur’aan) that when you hear the Verses of Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them”

[al-Nisa’ 4:140]

al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The words of Allaah, “then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that”, mean: something other than kufr.  

“(but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them” – this indicates that it is obligatory to avoid sinners if they are openly committing evil, because whoever does not avoid them is effectively approving of their actions. 

Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 5/418 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Denouncing evil in one’s heart is obligatory for everyone. This means hating and despising the evil action, and keeping away from those who do it if one is unable to change it with one’s hand (by taking action) or with one’s tongue (by speaking out against it). 

Al-Darar al-Sunniyyah fi’l-Ajwabah al-Najdiyyah, 16/142 

Indeed, the owner should not rent out his stores to those who will use them for sinful purposes. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal al-Shaykh was asked: 

My father bequeathed to me one-third of the rent of a building that he owned. This building is rented out to stores, some of which sell cigarettes and hubble-bubble pipes, and there is also a store that sells music tapes. Is this bequest permissible or not? Please note that we do not own anything else. May Allaah reward you with good. 

He replied: 

What you have to do is to evict these people, because selling cigarettes and hubble-bubbles and music tapes are all things that go against sharee’ah, and it is not permissible for the Muslim to help others in sin and transgression. Allaah will compensate you with something better, in sha Allaah, and you will be able to rent it and earn from it in such a way that will benefit you and benefit the deceased, in sha Allaah. 

Note that whoever gives up something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better than it, and that provision cannot be acquired by sinful means. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allaah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allaah has set a measure for all things”

[al-Talaaq 65:2-3]

And Allaah knows best.