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Fatwa #3927 August 2000Pakistan

Are we allowed to eat kosher meat?

Answer

Allah Ta%E3la says in the Noble Qur%E3n:%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'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%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0A
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