Authored by: Dr. Muhammad Zia ur-Rahman Azmi رحمه الله
Allah has made the food of Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book – Jews and Christians) lawful for Muslims:
«الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ»
"This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you."
[Al-Ma’idah: 5]
This ruling applies only when the meat is:
✔ From Jews or Christians, and
✔ There is no knowledge that the animal was slaughtered in an un-Islamic manner, such as:
✘ Strangulation,
✘ Death by electric shock, or
✘ Any method that violates Islamic slaughtering guidelines.
If it becomes known that the animal was not slaughtered correctly, then it is not permissible to consume, as per the verse:
«حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ... إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ»
"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and those killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by falling, or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten—except what you are able to slaughter [before death]."
[Al-Ma’idah: 3]
[Shaykh Ibn Baz – Majmu‘ al-Fatawa wa al-Maqalat: 32/23]
✔ Ruling:
It is not permissible to eat meat imported from idolatrous or communist countries, because their slaughtered animals are not considered lawful (halal).Allah has made the food of Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book – Jews and Christians) lawful for Muslims:
«الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ»
"This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you."
[Al-Ma’idah: 5]
This ruling applies only when the meat is:
✔ From Jews or Christians, and
✔ There is no knowledge that the animal was slaughtered in an un-Islamic manner, such as:
✘ Strangulation,
✘ Death by electric shock, or
✘ Any method that violates Islamic slaughtering guidelines.
If it becomes known that the animal was not slaughtered correctly, then it is not permissible to consume, as per the verse:
«حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ... إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ»
"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and those killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by falling, or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten—except what you are able to slaughter [before death]."
[Al-Ma’idah: 3]
[Shaykh Ibn Baz – Majmu‘ al-Fatawa wa al-Maqalat: 32/23]
