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Fatwa #13327 August 2000Pakistan

Could Muslims eat meat of animals killed by Christians in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost

Question

Here in Ethiopia all Christians kill animals in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.On the Holy Quran I read you don?t eat animals killed by any name other than Allah and in another place in the Quran it says you can eat food of People of the Book so I am confused. Please explain in details the exact meaning of these two Surahs. At this moment I, as most Muslims in Ethiopia, do not eat meat killed by Christians since I feel they do not kill their animals in the name of Allah. Jazakellah khair.

Answer

Allah Ta%E3la says in the Noble Qur%E3n:%0D%0A%0D%0A'Today I have made permissible for you pure things and the food of those who%0D%0Awere given the Book (Ahlul-Kitaab) is also Halaal for you'. (Qur%E3n 5:4)%0D%0A%0D%0AOvertly the above Aayat reads that the Zabeeha of the Ahlul-Kitaab is%0D%0Apermissible, but the fundamental principle must be understood in order to%0D%0Aunderstand the Qur%E3n i.e. 'One part of the Qur%E3n explains the other'.%0D%0ATherefore, this verse should be understood in the light of another verse%0D%0Arelating to the same matter:%0D%0A%0D%0A'Do not eat unless Allah's name has been taken and this (not taking Allah's%0D%0Aname) practice is transgression' (Quran 6:121)%0D%0A%0D%0AWhile the former verse explicitly states that the Zabeeha of the%0D%0AAhlul-Kitaab is permissible and the latter says, 'Do not eat unless Allah's%0D%0Aname has been taken', in the light of both these verses, it is understood%0D%0Athat the Zabeeha of the Ahlul-kitaab is permissible only if the name of%0D%0AAllah is taken at the time of slaughtering. The Ahlul-kitaab used to take%0D%0AAllah's name when slaughtering an animal, therefore, their Zabeeha was also%0D%0AHalaal for Muslims. It is for this same reason that an animal slaughtered by%0D%0Athe Mushrikeen, etc. is not permissible. The Ahlul-kitaab of today are%0D%0Arecognized by name, less faith. There is no guarantee that they take the%0D%0Aname of Allah%2FGod when slaughtering an animal. Furthermore, they cannot be%0D%0Aanymore trusted in matters pertaining to Halaal%2FHaraam.%0D%0A%0D%0ASince there is uncertainty in the above slaughter manner, the Jurists are%0D%0Aunanimous that it is not permissible to consume meat which is doubtful.%0D%0AUnless there is certainty that the Ahlul-kitaab read the 'Tasmiyah' i.e.%0D%0Atake the name of God when slaughtering an animal then only will the meat be%0D%0Apermissible. We suggest that the Muslims in the U.S.A. and U.K. slaughter%0D%0Athe animals themselves. A committee be appointed and look into ways to%0D%0Afacilitate for Halaal meat slaughtered by Muslims. This will make them%0D%0Aindependent from Christian%2FJewish sources.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnother proposition may be that the meat sold on the market are packed,%0D%0Asealed and stamped by a Muslim organisation consisting of reliable scholars%0D%0Aand %DAlama who have proper Islamic knowledge of the principles pertaining to%0D%0AHalaal%2FHaraam of the Shari%E1h.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0A
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