Eating at a non-Muslims house.
Hanafi Fiqh > Askimam.org
I live in Pakistan. My husband has many non muslim colleagues at work. Now they often invite us over for meals and so do we. Because it is such a routine, people mostly understand our religious standards for halaal food and they keep that i regard when they invite us.
In the same context we were invited by a chinese family. Of course they had not put hard drinks with the meal as being considerate for us. But they served us with traditional chinese hot-pot where u cook your own foodstuff along the way and keep eating from a pot infront of u. The variety of meat included lamb, chicken and sea food. However it was sliced in a very special way so during the meal I asked if all these ingredients were easily available in Pakistan as I have never seen them her. The hostess then told me that they had imported the ingredients from china just for us.
Now we have serious doubts if the meat was slaughtered the halaal way or not. We Know we must do istaghfaar but please advise what else can we do? We have extreme fear and worry because we have heard about the evils of even a single haraam morsel. Please make dua for us and advise too.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu 'alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
Your conscious about your halal intake of food is commendable and is a sign of your Imaan. As Muslims, especially in a Muslim country it is of paramount importance that we treat non-Muslims with good conduct and character, as this is the best form of Dawat. Showing courtesy, civility, good conduct and outward friendship to non-Muslims is a significant part of our Deen.
Matters related to Halah and Haram are very sensitive in Shariah. A single Haram morsel could cause devastating effects to ones Imaan and spiritual health. It is mentioned in a hadith:
عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " أيها الناس، إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا، وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين، فقال: {يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيبات واعملوا صالحا، إني بما تعملون عليم} [المؤمنون: 51] وقال: {يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم} [البقرة: 172] ثم ذكر الرجل يطيل السفر أشعث أغبر، يمد يديه إلى السماء، يا رب، يا رب، ومطعمه حرام، ومشربه حرام، وملبسه حرام، وغذي بالحرام، فأنى يستجاب لذلك؟ "
Rasulullah Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam mentioned "Oh people verily Allah Taala is pure and does not accept but pure. Verily Allah Taala has ordered the Muslims as he has ordered the prophets (Alayhimusallam)" Allah said "Oh Prophets eat from that which is pure do good deeds verily I am aware of what you do." And He said "Oh you who believe eat from the pure things that we have provided you." Then he mentioned a person that had travel at lengthens and is in a dishevelled and dusty state he spreads his hands towards the skys and says Oh my Lord Oh my Lord when his food is Haram and his drink is Haram and his clothes are Haram and he has been nourished by Haram. How will is supplication be accepted? (Muslim-1015 Darul Fawaid)
It is mentioned in another hadith:
عن النعمان بن بشير، قال: سمعته يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، يقول: – وأهوى النعمان بإصبعيه إلى أذنيه – «إن الحلال بين، وإن الحرام بين، وبينهما مشتبهات لا يعلمهن كثير من الناس، فمن اتقى الشبهات استبرأ لدينه، وعرضه، ومن وقع في الشبهات وقع في الحرام، كالراعي يرعى حول الحمى، يوشك أن يرتع فيه، ألا وإن لكل ملك حمى، ألا وإن حمى الله محارمه، ألا وإن في الجسد مضغة، إذا صلحت، صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت، فسد الجسد كله، ألا وهي القلب».
Rasulullah Salallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said verily Halal is clear and verily Haram is clear and in between them are doubtful things that most of the people don't know. The one that stays away from doubtful things will protect his Deen and his honour and the one that falls into doubtful things will fall into Haram. (Muslim-1599 Darul Fawaid)
From the above hadith we understand the importance of consuming Halal and staying away from things that are not only Haram but even doubtful. Therefore, under no circumstances should one compromise the requisites of Deen to please non-Muslim friends. If one has to eat at a non-Muslims house extreme caution is necessary that the food is 100% Halal and that there is no contamination from any haram source.
We have difficulty in understanding the word ingredients in your query. Are you referring to the meat itself being brought in from China or something else? In that case was the meat from Pakistan?
And Allah Ta'āla Knows Best
Ismail Dawoodjee
Student Darul Iftaa
Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
