Lawful Foods
Many People are confused about what
is permitted when it
comes to which foods are permitted or lawful ( Halal ). The question of
whether it
is lawful to eat meat from a none Muslim butchers or from a shop or
from a
fast food outlet is raised time and again my Muslims.
This is especially true for Muslims living in
the west. Many are told NO but many are advised it is permissible. The
question
of what is lawful or Halal is raised again and again. This has lead to
confusion among some Muslims.
In Islam the rule is very clear!
First we must consult the
Quran for guidance and then secondly the Hadith.
On this issue the Quran is very
clear. Please read the Verse
shown below. Also shown are the English translations from three
accepted
translators.
It is clearly stated in the Quran
“The
food of the People of the Book is
lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.”
Sura 5 - Al-Maeda (MADINA) : Verse 5
It is clear from Sura Al-Maeda that
eating meat from a
Christian or Jewish butcher is lawful ( Halal ). However for this to be
lawful the
Christian or Jewish butcher must be a practising Christian or Jew.
Now in the case of Jews this is very
easy. As long as the
Jew is a practising Jew and the meat is slaughtered in accordance with
Jewish
law (Torat
Moshe) then this meat and
other Kosher
food is lawful ( Halal) and
can be eaten by Muslims.
With Christians the simplest and
safest answer is NO! The
main issue we have is that in the west religion has become divorced
from
society. So you are very unlikely to come across a practising Christian
that is
following the true teachings of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH). The key issue
here is
Pork.
Almost all Christians now eat pork.
You will find it
imposable to find a none Muslim butcher that does not have pork in his
or her
shop. Most Slaughter houses and meat processing plants also process
Pork. Most
animal by-products made from animals in the west will contain Pork. It
is
therefore advised that Muslims should not buy meat from shops that also
sell
pork or pork by products.
With fast food outlets the problem is
simply that you cannot
be sure that Pork is not being cooked with the same equipment as other
meats. Although
some shops keep the cooking of meat, fish and vegetable separate they do
not separate
the different meats. So you’re beef burger will be cooked on
the same equipment
that is used for Pork!! The
simplest and
safest option for most Muslims is to avoid none Halal Meat and Foods.
Remember we can only offer guidance.
In the end each Muslim
must decide, as on the Day of Judgement only the individual himself can
answer
for his deeds.
Iqbal : 7-1-2010
Sura 5 - Al-Maeda (MADINA) :
Verse 1
سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَوۡفُواْ
بِٱلۡعُقُودِۚ أُحِلَّتۡ
لَكُم بَہِيمَةُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غَيۡرَ
مُحِلِّى
ٱلصَّيۡدِ وَأَنتُمۡ حُرُمٌۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحۡكُمُ مَا
يُرِيدُ (١)
Translation
: Eng-Yusuf Ali
Al-Maeda
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O
ye who believe! fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food)
are all four-footed animals with the exceptions named: but animals of
the chase
are forbidden while ye are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb:
for
Allah doth command according to His Will and Plan. (1)
Translation
: Eng-Pickthal
Al-Maeda
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O
ye who believe! Fulfil your undertakings. The beast of cattle is made
lawful unto you (for food) except that which is announced unto you
(herein),
game being unlawful when ye are on the pilgrimage. Lo! Allah ordaineth
that
which pleaseth Him. (1)
Translation
: Eng-Dr. Mohsin
Al-Maeda
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
O
you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you (for food)
are all the beasts of cattle except that which will be announced to you
(herein), game (also) being unlawful when you assume Ihrâm
for Hajj or 'Umrah
(pilgrimage). Verily, Allâh commands that which He wills. (1)
Sura 5 - Al-Maeda (MADINA) :
Verse 3
سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة
حُرِّمَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ
وَلَحۡمُ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ
أُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمُنۡخَنِقَةُ وَٱلۡمَوۡقُوذَةُ
وَٱلۡمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا
ذَكَّيۡتُمۡ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسۡتَقۡسِمُواْ
بِٱلۡأَزۡلَـٰمِۚ
ذَٲلِكُمۡ فِسۡقٌۗ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ يَٮِٕسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن
دِينِكُمۡ فَلَا
تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِۚ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ
دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ
عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬اۚ
فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ
فِى مَخۡمَصَةٍ غَيۡرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ۬ لِّإِثۡمٍ۬ۙ فَإِنَّ
ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬
رَّحِيمٌ۬ (٣)
Translation
: Eng-Yusuf Ali
Forbidden
to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood the flesh of swine, and that on
which
hath been invoked the name of other than Allah, that which hath been
killed by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being
gored to
death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye
are able
to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone
(altars);
(forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows:
that is
impiety. This day have those who reject Faith given up all hope of your
religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your
religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islam
as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination
to
transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. (3)
Translation
: Eng-Pickthal
Forbidden
unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swine-flesh, and that
which hath
been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the
dead
through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that
which
hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild
beasts,
saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which
hath
been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the
divining
arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in
despair of
(ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have
I perfected
your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen
for you
as religion AL-ISLAM. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin:
(for him)
lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (3)
Translation
: Eng-Dr. Mohsin
Forbidden
to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (the dead animals - cattle - beast not
slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
Allâh’s Name has not
been mentioned while slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as
a
sacrifice for others than Allâh, or has been slaughtered for
idols) and that
which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a
headlong
fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been (partly)
eaten by a
wild animal - unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) -
and that
which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub [] (stone-altars).
(Forbidden)
also is to use arrows seeking luck or decision; (all) that is Fisqun
(disobedience of Allâh and sin). This day, those who
disbelieved have given up
all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I
have
perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have
chosen
for you Islâm as your religion. But as for him who is forced
by severe hunger,
with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats),
then
surely, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (3)
Sura 5 - Al-Maeda (MADINA) :
Verse 4
سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة
يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَآ أُحِلَّ
لَهُمۡۖ قُلۡ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُۙ وَمَا عَلَّمۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجَوَارِحِ
مُكَلِّبِينَ
تُعَلِّمُونَہُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۖ فَكُلُواْ
مِمَّآ أَمۡسَكۡنَ
عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱسۡمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ
ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ
ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ (٤)
Translation
: Eng-Yusuf Ali
They
ask thee what is lawful to them (as food): say: Lawful unto you are
(all)
things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting
animals (to
catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah; eat what they catch for
you, but
pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift
in
taking account. (4)
Translation
: Eng-Pickthal
They
ask thee (O Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good
things are
made lawful for you. And those beasts and birds of prey which ye have
trained
as hounds are trained, ye teach them that which Allah taught you; so
eat of
that which they catch for you and mention Allah's name upon it, and
observe
your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is swift to take account. (4)
Translation
: Eng-Dr. Mohsin
They
ask you (O Muhammad SAW) what is lawful for them (as food). Say:
"Lawful
unto you are At-Tayyibât [all kind of Halâl
(lawful-good) foods which Allâh has
made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats,
vegetables and fruits)]. And those beasts and birds of prey which you
have
trained as hounds, training and teaching them (to catch) in the manner
as
directed to you by Allâh; so eat of what they catch for you,
but pronounce the
Name of Allâh over it, and fear Allâh. Verily,
Allâh is Swift in
reckoning." (4)
Sura 5 - Al-Maeda (MADINA) : Verse 5
سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة
ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ
ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ حِلٌّ۬ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلٌّ۬ لَّهُمۡۖ
وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَـٰتُ
مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ
ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِن
قَبۡلِكُمۡ إِذَآ ءَاتَيۡتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحۡصِنِينَ غَيۡرَ
مُسَـٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخۡدَانٍ۬ۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ
بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ
فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ ۥ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ
ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ (٥)
Translation
: Eng-Yusuf Ali
This
day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of
the People
of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful
unto you
in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste
women
among the People of the Book, revealed before your time― when ye give
them
their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret
intrigues. If
anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he
will be in
the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good). (5)
Translation
: Eng-Pickthal
This day are (all) good things made lawful for you.
The food of
those who have received the Scripture is lawful for
you, and your food
is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women
of the believers and
the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful
for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them
in
honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso
denieth
the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the
Hereafter.
Translation
: Eng-Dr. Mohsin
Made lawful to you this day are
At-Tayyibât [all kinds of Halâl (lawful)
foods, which Allâh has made lawful
(meat of slaughtered eatable
animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits). The food
(slaughtered cattle, eatable animals,) of the people of the Scripture
(Jews and
Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful
to them. (Lawful
to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste
women from
those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your
time, when
you have given their due Mahr (bridal - money given by the husband to
his wife
at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal
wedlock)
not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as
girl-friends. And
whosoever disbelieves in faith [i.e. in the Oneness of Allâh
and in all the
other Articles of Faith, i.e. His (Allâh's), Angels, His Holy
Books, His
Messengers, the Day of Resurrection and Al-Qadar (Divine
Preordainments)], then
fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.
Sura
23 - Al-Mumenoon (MAKKA) : Verse 51
سُوۡرَةُ المؤمنون
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلرُّسُلُ كُلُواْ مِنَ
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَٱعۡمَلُواْ
صَـٰلِحًاۖ إِنِّى بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٥١)
Translation
: Eng-Yusuf Ali
O
ye messengers! Enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work
righteousness: for I
am well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. (51)
Translation
: Eng-Pickthal
O
ye messengers! Eat of the good things, and do right. Lo! I am Aware of
what ye
do. (51)
Translation
: Eng-Dr. Mohsin
O
(you) Messengers! Eat of the Taiyyibât [all kinds of
Halâl (lawful) foods (meat
of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables,
fruits, etc.],
and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do.
(51)
