Question
We live in U.S.A and the issue of halāl and harām is very confusing. Some say that you can eat meat and chicken in restaurants that belong to people of books such as Christians and Jews but some say it is harām as they do not pronounce the name of Allāh while slaughtering. I have a great honour and respect for professor Ghamdi. I will appreciate an immediate reply as he no doubt is a learned professor.
Answer
wa alaykum assalām!
The permission given in the Qur’ān to consume the meat which is slaughtered by Ahl Al-Kitāb is with the assumption that they do follow their Sharī‘ah (religious rules) when slaughtering the animal. It is a well known fact that in our times Jews are generally following their Sharī‘ah (which is very close to our rules of slaughtering animals) but Christians are not.
The implication therefore is that you can consume meat in restaurants that belong to Jews but not in those that belong to Christians unless you are certain that they too follow the Sharī‘ah (religious rules) or buy the meat from people who follow it.
Regards,
Answered by: Farhad Shafti
Date: 2015-04-02
