Question: What criterion are we to use to judge if a country is Ahl-ul-Kitaab (People of the Book, meaning Jews and Christians) or another type, or the grocery stores are halaal considering that many people work in the slaughterhouses who are not Ahl-ul-Kitaab

Answer: If the ruler of a particular country and the majority of its people, the majority of its citizens are Christians or Jews then they are to be called the people of the Book. Even if they do not practice Christianity or they do not practice Judaism. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى named them People of the Book at the time of the Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم while they were practicing major polytheism. They (the Jewish people) used to say that 'Uzair is the son of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the Christians used to say that Jesus (Isa عليه سلام) is the son of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. However, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى still called them the People of the Book.

As for their meat or as for the issue of the meat, then whether it is permissible or not depends on who slaughtered it. So if the person who slaughtered it was a Jewish person or a Christian, then it is considered to be from the meat of the People of the Book. However, if it was an atheist or a polytheist that slaughtered it then it is not permissible and it is considered to be from the meat of the polytheists.


Answered by: Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Ajlaan

Title of Lecture: Brotherhood and Q&A Session

Date of the Lecture: February 10th 2007

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This question is also listed under FIQH

Question: Is it permissible to throw away food in some instances like if it has gone bad or if it was burnt or it is not to your liking and you don't know anyone who will eat it. What about if too much was cooked and you don't know anyone to take to the excessive food?

Answer: The Shaykh حفظه الله said if a person has too much food and is unable to finish it, then it is permissible for him to put it in a pure plate, not in an impure plate in order for animals to eat from it or insects or birds. It is not incumbent upon him to eat everything as onions were presented to the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم and he did not eat from them and he permitted others to eat from the onions. A lizard as well was presented to the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه و سلم to eat from and he refrained from eating from it but he صلى الله عليه و سلم allowed others to eat from it. What is not permissible is that you put food that could be made use of, in an impure plate. Rather one should put the food in a purified plate in order for insects, animals, or birds, to eat from it.


Answered by: Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Ajlaan

Title of Lecture: Brotherhood and Q&A Session

Date of the Lecture: February 10th 2007

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Answer: It is not permitted to eat or drink vinegar that has a portion of alcohol in it because this portion makes it najis (impure) so it is not permissible. Therefore it is haraam to eat or drink anything which has a portion of alcohol in it.

Answered by: Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan Al-'Ajlaan حفظه الله

Title of Lecture: Question and Answer Session

Date of the Lecture: December 14th, 2006

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Question: Is it permissible to eat shrimp, crab, lobster and squid? Where is the proof in the Qur'aan?

Answer: Yes, it is permissible. The proof in the Qur'aan is the saying of Allaah تعالى:






The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified to us what is forbidden to eat from amongst the animals. He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: It is forbidden to eat any animals which have claws (fangs).[1] This is like falcons, birds which eat the meat of dead animals, and wild animals like lions and tigers. Other than that, he صلى الله عليه وسلم said when he was asked about the sea by a man: O Rasoolullaah, we sail and we get fresh water; can we make wudoo with seawater? The man asked this because the taste and smell are different. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: The seawater is pure and the dead of the sea is permissible to eat.[2] We all know that it impermissible to eat dead animals, except if it is from the sea. He صلى الله عليه وسلم himself ate from the big whale that the Sahaabah found by the Red Sea. Due to the difference of opinions amongst them i.e. the conflict they had regarding whether it was permissible or not, they took some of it to Madinah and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked them to give him some of it. By doing so he showed that it is permissible.

Answered by: Shaykh Muhammad al-Maliki

Title of Lecture: Question and Answer Session

Date of the Lecture: November 3rd, 2007

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[1] Reported as a Chapter Heading in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, The Book of Slaughtering and Hunting, (كتاب الذبائح والصيد), Chapter (#29), and as Hadeeth (#5210) in the same chapter with the following wording. Also reported in Saheeh Muslim with a similar wording in The Book of Hunting, Slaughtering and what animals may be eaten, (كتاب الصيد والذبائح وما يؤكل من الحيوان), Hadeeth (#1932).

[2] Reported in Sunan ibn Maajah with the following wording, 2/1081, Hadeeth (#3246). Shaykh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says with a Saheeh isnaad. See Saheeh al-Jaami, Hadeeth (#2877).

Question: Next question is from a brother from England. He says that some of the brothers have started to drink non-alcoholic drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks should mean 0.0% (alcohol) but they are drinking these drinks that say 0.1% or 0.5%. Is this permissible?

Answer: The brother from England is asking about some of the brothers who are drinking some drinks that might have a little percentage of alcohol in it such as 0.5%. Well we have to know that it is not allowed to drink any amount of any drink that includes alcohol in it, as what the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: Whatever intoxicates in a large amount, a small amount of it is haraam[1] So it is not allowed for them to drink this kind of drink even if the percentage is very, very little. Wallahu A'lam.


Answered by: Shaykh Muhammad al-Maliki

Title of lecture: Question & Answer Session

Date answered: November 25th, 2006

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[1] Shaykh al-Albaanee رحمه اللهsays Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami (#5530)

Question: Allaah سبحانه وتعالى said:


According to the above mentioned aayah (verse), is it permissible for us to buy and eat the meat of the People of the Book (Ahlul-Kitaab) i.e. the meat sold in the supermarkets; and is it permissible for us to eat Kosher?

Answer: Here, the intended meaning of ‘the food of The People of the Book’ is the food which the merchant slaughters according to their Deen and their Sharee’ah (Legislation). If it is established that one from the People of the Book or a Muslim strangles the animal i.e. he has not slaughtered it, then this will be considered maitah (ميتة – dead meat) and the maitah is not permissible. Whether it is a Muslim or not who did the strangling, this meat will not be permissible.

We also need to mention that in your society and other than yours, there are atheists. They have no Deen – no belief, even though outwardly they may appear to be Jews and Christians. From them it (the slaughter) will also not be accepted.

However if it is confirmed that they are Jews and Christians (People of the Book), meaning that they are doing the slaughter according to the way of the Jews and Christians based on what is in their books, then it is permissible. This is because it will be considered that the slaughter was really the slaughter of the People of the Book.

As for the one about whom it cannot be ascertained whether he slaughtered, strangled, electrocuted or immersed the animal in hot water i.e. we do not know the method used, then it will be impermissible for us to partake of this meat since we cannot determine whether it was slaughtered or maitah. However, when it can be ascertained that the person who did the slaughtering was a Muslim, Jew, or Christian and the slaughter was done according to the way mentioned in their book and according to their Deen then this is permissible (jaaiz).


Answered by: Shaykh 'Abdullaah Ibn Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Jarboo

Title of Lecture: Prohibition of Differences and Ikhtilaafaat

Date answered: Saturday, August 22nd, 2004

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