❀ Ruling on the Slaughter by a Non-Praying Person: Ḥalāl or Ḥarām? A Complete Sharʿī Explanation ❀
Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Aḥkām Related to Food and Drink, Volume 1, Page 445
It is often stated that a person who neglects prayer is a disbeliever (kāfir). If this statement is correct, then what is the ruling on the meat slaughtered by such a person — is it ḥalāl or ḥarām?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Allāh the Exalted says:
﴿ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلّٞ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلّٞ لَّهُمۡۖ﴾
(Al-Māʾidah: 5)
"This day [all] good things have been made lawful for you. The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them."
In the commentary of this verse, most scholars have interpreted "ṭaʿām" (food) to mean slaughtered meat.
❀ When the slaughter of the People of the Book has been declared ḥalāl for Muslims,
❀ Then a person who recites the Kalimah (i.e., professes the faith of Islam), even if he does not pray,
❀ His slaughter is also considered ḥalāl, because he is still a Muslim and holds a higher rank than the People of the Book.
If at the time of slaughter, the name of anyone other than Allāh is invoked,
then the slaughter is ḥarām,
even if the one slaughtering is a person of prayer and piety.
Allāh the Exalted has said:
﴿وَلَا تَأۡكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمۡ يُذۡكَرِ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَفِسۡقٞۗ﴾
(Al-Anʿām: 121)
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned — for indeed, it is sinful."
Also, He said:
﴿وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ﴾
(Al-Māʾidah: 3)
"And [do not eat] that which has been slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allāh."
❀ Although some opinions do declare the non-praying individual as a disbeliever,
❀ It is not valid to declare the meat slaughtered by such a person as ḥarām merely on the basis of his abandoning prayer,
❀ Unless he mentions the name of someone other than Allāh at the time of slaughter.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Aḥkām Related to Food and Drink, Volume 1, Page 445
❖ Question
It is often stated that a person who neglects prayer is a disbeliever (kāfir). If this statement is correct, then what is the ruling on the meat slaughtered by such a person — is it ḥalāl or ḥarām?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
Allāh the Exalted says:
﴿ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلّٞ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلّٞ لَّهُمۡۖ﴾
(Al-Māʾidah: 5)
"This day [all] good things have been made lawful for you. The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them."
In the commentary of this verse, most scholars have interpreted "ṭaʿām" (food) to mean slaughtered meat.
✔ Important Points:
❀ When the slaughter of the People of the Book has been declared ḥalāl for Muslims,
❀ Then a person who recites the Kalimah (i.e., professes the faith of Islam), even if he does not pray,
❀ His slaughter is also considered ḥalāl, because he is still a Muslim and holds a higher rank than the People of the Book.
◈ However, One Crucial Condition:
If at the time of slaughter, the name of anyone other than Allāh is invoked,
then the slaughter is ḥarām,
even if the one slaughtering is a person of prayer and piety.
Allāh the Exalted has said:
﴿وَلَا تَأۡكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمۡ يُذۡكَرِ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَفِسۡقٞۗ﴾
(Al-Anʿām: 121)
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned — for indeed, it is sinful."
Also, He said:
﴿وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ﴾
(Al-Māʾidah: 3)
"And [do not eat] that which has been slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allāh."
❖ Conclusion:
❀ Although some opinions do declare the non-praying individual as a disbeliever,
❀ It is not valid to declare the meat slaughtered by such a person as ḥarām merely on the basis of his abandoning prayer,
❀ Unless he mentions the name of someone other than Allāh at the time of slaughter.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
