Ruling on the Slaughter of the People of the Book
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
The slaughter of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) is permissible provided that they mention the name of Allah at the time of slaughter. If they do not mention Allah’s name, it is not permissible.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ
"The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them."
(Al-Mā’idah: 5)
In the commentary of this verse, Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
وطعامهم ذبائحهم
“The food of the People of the Book refers to their slaughtered animals.”
[Bukhari, before hadith no. 5508, Book of Slaughtering and Hunting: Chapter on the Slaughter of the People of the Book]
Allah ﷻ also says:
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned."
(Al-Anʿām: 121)
This indicates that the permissibility is conditional upon Allah’s name being pronounced at slaughter.
When Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما was asked about the slaughtered animals of the Christians of Arabia, he replied:
لا بأس بها
“There is no harm in eating them.”
Then he recited the verse:
وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ
"And whoever among you takes them as allies is indeed one of them."
(Al-Mā’idah: 51)
[Muwatta: 2/332]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once accepted food from a Jewish woman, although she had put poison in it.
[Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawud: 3212, Book of Foods: Chapter on Eating Meat; Abu Dawud: 3781]
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
The slaughter of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) is permissible provided that they mention the name of Allah at the time of slaughter. If they do not mention Allah’s name, it is not permissible.
① Qur’anic Evidence
Allah ﷻ says:
وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ
"The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them."
(Al-Mā’idah: 5)
In the commentary of this verse, Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
وطعامهم ذبائحهم
“The food of the People of the Book refers to their slaughtered animals.”
[Bukhari, before hadith no. 5508, Book of Slaughtering and Hunting: Chapter on the Slaughter of the People of the Book]
② Condition of Mentioning Allah’s Name
Allah ﷻ also says:
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned."
(Al-Anʿām: 121)
This indicates that the permissibility is conditional upon Allah’s name being pronounced at slaughter.
③ Statement of Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما
When Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما was asked about the slaughtered animals of the Christians of Arabia, he replied:
لا بأس بها
“There is no harm in eating them.”
Then he recited the verse:
وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ
"And whoever among you takes them as allies is indeed one of them."
(Al-Mā’idah: 51)
[Muwatta: 2/332]
④ Prophetic Practice
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once accepted food from a Jewish woman, although she had put poison in it.
[Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawud: 3212, Book of Foods: Chapter on Eating Meat; Abu Dawud: 3781]
