What is meant by the food of the People of the Book?
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The questioner : Well, there is another question. [Al-Ma'idah 5:5] For example, is the food of the Christians, such as meat, and the food of the Jews, such as meat, permissible for us to eat, or is it not permissible?
The Shaykh : The meaning of "food" in this noble verse is meat that has been slaughtered according to the Shari'ah, not merely any food that the Jews and Christians eat. A Muslim should know this as a matter of course, because among the food of the Christians is pork. Is that food lawful for us? The answer is no. Likewise, among their food, as is observed today, are animals that have died of natural causes or been killed by falling. This is not among the food of theirs that is lawful for us. If they slaughter what is lawful for us to eat according to the Shari'ah, and the slaughter is also performed in the Shari'ah manner, then it is permissible; otherwise, it is not.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them
و طعام أهل الكتاب حل لكم و طعامكم حل لهمThe Shaykh : The meaning of "food" in this noble verse is meat that has been slaughtered according to the Shari'ah, not merely any food that the Jews and Christians eat. A Muslim should know this as a matter of course, because among the food of the Christians is pork. Is that food lawful for us? The answer is no. Likewise, among their food, as is observed today, are animals that have died of natural causes or been killed by falling. This is not among the food of theirs that is lawful for us. If they slaughter what is lawful for us to eat according to the Shari'ah, and the slaughter is also performed in the Shari'ah manner, then it is permissible; otherwise, it is not.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
Source
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