QUESTION:

What do the scholars and muftis of the noble Shari’ah say regarding the following matter; is it permissible for Muslims to consume meat slaughtered by a Jew?

Questioner: Tayyib from UK

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

If a Jew from the Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book) slaughters (an animal) by pronouncing the Name of Allah ﷻ, then it is permissible to eat such meat. The meat of animals slaughtered by the Ahl al-Kitab is permissible for Muslims, as Allah ﷻ states in the Noble Qur’an:

اَلْیَوْمَ اُحِلَّ لَکُمُ الطَّیِّبٰتُ ؕ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الْکِتٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّکُمْ ۪ وَطَعَامُکُمْ حِلُّ لَّہُمْ

Translation: “This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them.” [Surah al-Ma’idah, verse no. 5]

The word ta’am (food) in this verse means slaughtered animal. It is stated in Tafsir Khazin:

(وَطَعَامُ الَّذِیْنَ اُوْتُوا الْکِتٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّکُمْ) یعني وذبائح أھل الکتاب حلّ لکم وہم الیہود والنصاری

Translation: “‘…and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you,’ means, the animals slaughtered by the Ahl al-Kitab have been made lawful for you, and they (Ahl al-Kitab) are Jews and Christians.” [Tafsir al-Khazin, vol. 1, pg. 467-468]

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah:

ثُمَّ إنَّمَا تُؤْكَلُ ذَبِيحَةُ الْكِتَابِيِّ إذَا لَمْ يُشْهَدْ ذَبْحُهُ، وَلَمْ يُسْمَعْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، أَوْ شُهِدَ وَسُمِعَ مِنْهُ تَسْمِيَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَحْدَهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ إذَا لَمْ يُسْمَعْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ يُحْمَلُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ قَدْ سَمَّى اللَّهَ تَعَالَى تَحْسِينًا لِلظَّنِّ بِهِ كَمَا بِالْمُسْلِمِ، وَلَوْ سُمِعَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرُ اسْمِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَكِنَّهُ عَنَى بِاَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمَسِيحَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالُوا تُؤْكَلُ

Translation: “The meat slaughtered by a person from the Ahl al-Kitab must be eaten even if: (a) a Muslim was not present at the time of slaughtering the animal; (b) the Muslim did not listen to what he uttered; or, (c) if the Muslim was present and he only heard the name of Allah ﷻ from him. If the Muslim did not hear anything from the kitabi (a person from the Ahl al-Kitab), it will be assumed–by having a good opinion of him as it is done with a Muslim–that he has pronounced the name of Allah ﷻ. If the Muslim heard the Name of Allah ﷻ from the kitabi but the latter used the word “Allah” for the Messiah, even then the meat is to be eaten.” [al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, vol. 5, pg. 285]

It is mentioned in Bahar-e Shari’at: “The meat slaughtered by a kitabi will be considered halal (permissible) when it was slaughtered in front of a Muslim and it is known that he has pronounced the Name of Allah ﷻ during slaughtering. If he pronounces the name of Sayyiduna ‘Isa (peace be upon him) and the Muslim knows this, then it is haram (forbidden). It is also halal when the animal was not slaughtered in front of a Muslim and it is not known what was pronounced during slaughtering.” [Bahar-e Shari’at, vol. 3, part 15, pg. 313]

This permissibility is when the kitabis are upon Judaism or Christianity. If they have become atheists, consuming meat slaughtered by them is impermissible, even if they pronounce the Name of Allah ﷻ before slaughtering. Jews, up to this day and age, slaughter meat. However, we do not know if they pronounce the Name of Allah ﷻ or not. Thus, it is better to abstain from meat slaughtered by them. As far as the Christians are concerned, according to them, there is no concept of slaughtering. Every Muslim living in the UK is aware of this fact. This has been the case since a long time. Our predecessors have also written in their books that there is no concept of meat slaughtering according to the Christians.

It is mentioned in Bahar-e Shari’at: “This permissibility is when the kitabis are upon Judaism or Christianity. If they only call themselves Jews or Christians but have become Naturalists or Atheists, as is the case with most of the Christians in this age, then they cannot be married or meat slaughtered by them cannot be eaten. Moreover, there is no concept of slaughtering according to them.” [Bahar-e Shari’at, vol. 2, part 7, pg. 31]

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by the SeekersPath team

Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0425] Can Muslims eat Kosher/meat slaughtered by Jews?

Also see:

[Q-ID0743] Does meat become Haram to consume if it does not remain in the sight of a Muslim during the delivery process?

[Q-ID0382] Are Mcdonald’s fries Halal? Can I eat them if I have doubts?

[Q-ID0368] Is pre-stunned chicken and meat Halal or Haram?

[Q-ID0354] Are Prawns, Crabs & Shellfish halal to eat?

[Q-ID0329] What is the ruling on eating Ojri (stomach) and brains of an animal?

[Q-ID0259] Buying ‘halal’ meat without investigating where and from whom it has come

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