If the dish contains many types of food, is it permissible for me to take from something other than what is in front of me?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Some people may feel hesitant about this.
The Shaykh : Some people feel hesitant about this, but it is not obligatory. If there is a large dish containing dates and scattered meat, as I mentioned, I am permitted to reach out with my hand and take what I want, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would reach for the dates, turning the dish and taking them.
The questioner : What if custom, O Shaykh, prevents him from doing so?
The Shaykh : I fear that people may be overly strict in their custom, feeling disgusted, for example, if you reach out to take meat from around it, and they might look at you with anger, especially if there is little meat. However, custom has no standing in the law.
The Shaykh : Some people feel hesitant about this, but it is not obligatory. If there is a large dish containing dates and scattered meat, as I mentioned, I am permitted to reach out with my hand and take what I want, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would reach for the dates, turning the dish and taking them.
The questioner : What if custom, O Shaykh, prevents him from doing so?
The Shaykh : I fear that people may be overly strict in their custom, feeling disgusted, for example, if you reach out to take meat from around it, and they might look at you with anger, especially if there is little meat. However, custom has no standing in the law.