What is the ruling on the food of the People of the Book?

The Shaykh : We start with the oath.

The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. You previously issued a ruling regarding the permissibility of imported meats from the lands of the People of the Book.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Is it permissible to extend that ruling by analogy to eating the meats of the People of the Book, even in their own lands, given that, as is well known, they do not perform the Islamic method of slaughter?

The Shaykh : Look, my brother, Allah Mighty and Majestic said: and He was silent. So whatever they consider food and has not been specifically forbidden is lawful. Do not ask except about what you know with certainty is forbidden. For example, we do not eat pork because it is specifically forbidden. We eat sheep and goats unless we know that that specific sheep was slaughtered in a manner other than the Islamic way. Do you understand? However, some scholars, both past and present, say that even if they strangled it and they consider it lawful, it is lawful for you, because Allah the Exalted said: So whatever they consider food is lawful for us. But we do not hold this view. We hold that it is necessary for the blood to flow and for the name of Allah to be mentioned over it. However, if it comes to us from one whose slaughter is lawful, it is not upon us, nor is it for us, to ask how you slaughtered it or whether you mentioned the name of Allah over it. The evidence is the hadith of Aisha in al-Bukhari, where she said: "Some people said, O Messenger of Allah, some people bring us meat and we do not know whether they mentioned the name of Allah over it or not? He said:

You mention the name and eat

سمّوا أنتم وكلوا

" This is an indication from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is not necessary to ask. You should do your own part: mention the name and eat. Yes.