Is It Allowed For Me To Eat In The Restaurants In Britain And They Ahlul Kitaab?

[Shehzad Sattar]

Is it allowed for me to eat in the restaurants in Britain and they are the people of the book i.e. Ahlul Kitaab?
al-Allaamah Muqbil ibn Haadee al-Waadi’ee Rahimahullaah

Question

A questioner asks: ls it allowed for me to eat in the restaurants in Britain and they are the people of the boole I.e. Ahlul Kitijb, the jews and the Christians so I eat the meat they have slaughtered, is that forbidden?

Shaykh:

If they slaughter the meat correctly and properly in the way of the people of the book, then there is no harm in eating that since Allaah the Mighty and Majestic says in the Qur'aan:

And the meat of the people of the book is lawful to you.
Soorah Al Ma'idah; Ayah 5

But if they do not adhere to that way and we are informed that they do not adhere to the way of sacrificing in the way of the people of the book and that most of them, and most of that which they slaughter is done by means of electric stunning (electrocute the animals) then it is not allowed. And Allaah Has given you other things in place of that, you could eat fish or other foods that can feed him sufficiently. And it is Allaah who Grants aid.

And likewise the food that is imported with us, it should be abstained so that you know that the one who sacrifices the meat for the Muslims upon the lslamic way or a person of the book doing so and in the way of the people of the Book, otherwise you should leave it, And Allaah's aid is sought.

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Taken from What I Witnessed in Saudi Arabia: Q & A session by Muqbil ibn Haadee al-Waadi’ee Rahimahullaah; see www.troid.ca for the publication.

Transcibed by Umm Safura b. As-Sa’adiyyah.