Taking Food and Using Utensils of Non-Muslims

8-5-2002 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible to take food from non-Muslims i.e. Hindus, Sikhs, etc. if you know that it contains nothing Haram? Is it permissible to use utensils used by them?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible to take food from non-Muslims like bread and similar foods. However, the eatable animals slaughtered by them are not permissible because they do not invoke Allah's Name when slaughtering the lamb or chicken, etc.

Allah Says (what means): {And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience.} [Quran 6:121]

An exception to this ruling is the meat cooked by the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) which is permissible as mentioned in the Quran.

Allah Says (what means): {This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them…} [Quran 5:5]

However, the meat served by them is not lawful if it is known that they slaughter through electrocuting the cattle or chicken.

The Hindus and Sikh are not classified among the People of the Book; therefore, it is not permissible to eat their food and slaughtered eatable animals.

For more benefit on meat of animals slaughtered by the People of the Book, please refer to Fataawa 82323, 82065, 81234, 393961, 330952, 82899, and 84072.

Allah knows best.