What is the ruling on importing meat from an atheist country, and what is the ruling on eating it?
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The questioner : If a country imports meat, what then? It imports meat from an atheist country that does not believe in Allah, the Exalted, a communist country...?
The Shaykh : First, communist countries may have Muslims in them. Have you not heard of the uproar that occurred in Yugoslavia? There are many Muslims there, and it has been said that most of those who handle the slaughter are Muslims because they are poor in that place. So perhaps the one who slaughters is a Muslim. But despite this, the scholars say: If a lawful slaughter is found in a country where most of its people are those whose slaughter is permissible, then it is lawful, considering the majority and the most probable case, and to facilitate matters for the Muslim community. So one looks: if it is said that most of the slaughter in a communist country is handled by Muslims, then what is imported from it is lawful. And if it is said that most of it is handled by non-Muslims, even if it is assumed to be a country of Jews or Christians, and it is known that most of those who handle the slaughter are not Jewish or Christian, then their slaughter is not permissible.
The questioner : The meat that comes from outside, they did not invoke the name of Allah upon it because they do not know the invocation at all?
The Shaykh : I have not known that, because Allah said:[Al-An'am 6:121] and He did not say: "from what you did not know." He said: [Al-An'am 6:121] meaning that which we are certain of, that the name of Allah was not invoked upon it.
The questioner : This is certain, O Shaykh, because I know that they do not invoke the name. If something is certain, do not eat it. But as long as you are not certain, you may eat it.
The Shaykh : If we are certain, we do not eat it? It is known that if we are certain, eating it is not permissible.
The Shaykh : First, communist countries may have Muslims in them. Have you not heard of the uproar that occurred in Yugoslavia? There are many Muslims there, and it has been said that most of those who handle the slaughter are Muslims because they are poor in that place. So perhaps the one who slaughters is a Muslim. But despite this, the scholars say: If a lawful slaughter is found in a country where most of its people are those whose slaughter is permissible, then it is lawful, considering the majority and the most probable case, and to facilitate matters for the Muslim community. So one looks: if it is said that most of the slaughter in a communist country is handled by Muslims, then what is imported from it is lawful. And if it is said that most of it is handled by non-Muslims, even if it is assumed to be a country of Jews or Christians, and it is known that most of those who handle the slaughter are not Jewish or Christian, then their slaughter is not permissible.
The questioner : The meat that comes from outside, they did not invoke the name of Allah upon it because they do not know the invocation at all?
The Shaykh : I have not known that, because Allah said:
do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned
لا تأكلوا مما لم يذكر اسم الله عليهof that upon which
مما لم يذكرThe questioner : This is certain, O Shaykh, because I know that they do not invoke the name. If something is certain, do not eat it. But as long as you are not certain, you may eat it.
The Shaykh : If we are certain, we do not eat it? It is known that if we are certain, eating it is not permissible.