The default ruling regarding the slaughter of the People of the Book is permissibility

This is a letter received from the Iraqi Republic from Abdul Karim al-Kazimi, in which he says: I heard in one of the episodes of the program Nur 'ala al-Darb a question about the ruling on the slaughter of the People of the Book and whether it is permissible to eat it. The answer of the distinguished Shaykh was: The slaughter of the People of the Book is lawful slaughter that is permissible to eat; because their books state that it is not permissible to slaughter for other than Allah the Exalted. The questioner says: And we know what all the scholars agree upon regarding the conditions of lawful slaughter, such as facing the qiblah, that the slaughterer be a Muslim, and the invocation of the name of Allah... and so on. And these things, as you know, are not present among the People of the Book. So how can the slaughter of the People of the Book be lawful and permissible to eat? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: First: The slaughter of the People of the Book is lawful by our Book, which is more authoritative than their books. Allah permitted us the slaughter of the People of the Book in His great Book in Surat al-Ma'idah, where He said: : [al-Ma'idah:5] So Allah permitted us their food, and their food is their slaughter, as Ibn Abbas and others said. So their slaughter is lawful for us if we do not know that it was slaughtered contrary to the Shari'ah. The default is permissibility; this is the default, like the slaughter of a Muslim, unless we know that he slaughtered it by strangling or by striking the head, in which case it becomes forbidden for us. And as long as we do not know that he slaughtered it contrary to the Shari'ah, the default is that it is permissible for us... They are the Jews and the Christians. Facing the qiblah is not a condition of the slaughter; rather, this is recommended. If he slaughters it facing other than the qiblah, there is no blame on him. Facing the qiblah is only recommended. And the invocation of the name is commanded, so if he leaves it off out of ignorance or forgetfulness, the slaughter does not become forbidden. But he must invoke the name if he remembers. As for if he is forgetful or ignorant, the slaughter is lawful. It is not a condition of the slaughter that a Muslim slaughter it; if a person from the People of the Book slaughters it, it is lawful. These conditions I mentioned are not to be taken at face value. So facing the qiblah is not a condition of lawfulness; rather, this is recommended. And it is not a condition of lawfulness that a Muslim slaughter it; no, if a person from the People of the Book slaughters it, it is permissible. And it is not a condition of it that the name be invoked in all cases; the invocation is with remembrance, but with ignorance or with forgetfulness it is lawful; because Allah the Exalted says: [al-Baqarah:286] And it is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: meaning: before the supplication. And in the hadith: So if a person leaves off the invocation out of forgetfulness or ignorance, not knowing the legal ruling, it is lawful.
So the questioner should be mindful of this and not speak except with knowledge. The questioner and others should not speak except with knowledge; because Allah the Exalted says: [Yusuf:108] meaning: with knowledge. And because speaking about Allah without knowledge is a reprehensible matter and is in a rank above shirk (associating partners with Allah), we ask Allah for safety. Allah the Exalted said: [al-A'raf:33] So He made speaking about Him without knowledge above shirk; because speaking about Him without knowledge involves a great danger, and among that is shirk, for the mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) has spoken about Allah without knowledge. And He said: INNAMAA YA'MURUKUM BI-S-SUUI WA AL-FACHSHAA' WA AN TAQUULU 'ALA AL-LAAHI MAA LA TA'ALAMUNA [al-Baqarah:168-169] So the Shaytan commands evil and indecency, and commands us to speak about Allah without knowledge.
So it is obligatory for the one who claims affiliation with the religion, from the scholars and students of knowledge and others, it is obligatory to verify matters, and that a person not speak except with knowledge. He does not speak except with knowledge and does not issue fatwas except with knowledge. May Allah grant everyone success, guidance, and correctness. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you and may Allah bless you.