Ruling on Eating Imported Chicken
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Question:
One of the brothers insisted on a question that is off-topic: Give us a ruling on imported chicken and meats, and has your ruling changed from what was published in the Islamic University magazine in 1995?
Answer:
I do not remember our ruling in the magazine, but the ruling we continue to hold is: The default ruling regarding the food of the People of the Book is that it is lawful, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: And Allah has made lawful for us the food of the People of the Book, and He has made lawful for us the chaste women among them. This is the default ruling.
So, whatever comes from the slaughter of the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, is lawful for us until we know that a specific item is forbidden; because it was handled by a non-Book person, handled by a polytheist or idolater, or because it was slaughtered in a manner contrary to the Shari'ah, such as strangling or the like. And if we do not know that, and we find it with its heads cut off, and it comes to us from the lands of the Christians, or from the lands of the Jews, it is lawful for us. This is the default ruling until we know otherwise. This is the ruling I issue based on this default principle.
An unclear question: About the fact that they do not cut the heads, but rather they pass through a machine?
Answer: If something is found without its head cut off, that is evidence that it was strangled. As for what is seen at some butchers, that is not a standard to follow; because they differ in Europe and elsewhere. Among them are those who perform the Shari'ah slaughter, even if it is by a machine through which the chickens and others pass to have their heads cut off. If it passes through a specific machine and the heads are cut off, that is sufficient, even if it is not done by his hand specifically.
The important thing is if the heads are cut off with something sharp, and the blood flows, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 4403Sahih (Darussalam) So, if the heads are cut off by any sharp machine, that is sufficient, as long as it is from a Muslim, or from a person of the Book.
Question: Is the invocation not necessary?
Answer: The invocation is obligatory, but they may not know it. They may invoke the name of Allah on what comes from them. If a Muslim leaves off the invocation out of ignorance, or forgetfulness, his slaughter is lawful. And likewise, if a person of the Book leaves it off out of forgetfulness, or ignorance, his slaughter is lawful. And if he does not know that either; for example, the slaughter of a Muslim: he may slaughter and forget, or he may slaughter and be ignorant. He may not invoke the name of Allah on what he does not know about. So, the default ruling is that the slaughter of Muslims is sound. And likewise, the slaughter of the People of the Book.
Question : A slaughterhouse was offered to some Muslims for them to buy, and they found that the machine that cuts is at the end of the process?
Answer: In any case, the default ruling is that it is sound. And the one who knows this specific slaughterhouse should not buy from it if he knows it. And if he does not know it, he is excused. Just as among Muslims there are sinners, and there are the ignorant, and there are others, and yet we eat their slaughter and do not investigate. We say: We fear that this was not slaughtered as it should be, or that the name was not invoked, or that it was such and such. It has been mentioned that we eat their feasts. So, the default ruling is that he invoked the name, and that he is a Muslim. And the People of the Book are likewise. And it is not permissible for us to restrict what Allah has made broad regarding the People of the Book.
One of the brothers insisted on a question that is off-topic: Give us a ruling on imported chicken and meats, and has your ruling changed from what was published in the Islamic University magazine in 1995?
Answer:
I do not remember our ruling in the magazine, but the ruling we continue to hold is: The default ruling regarding the food of the People of the Book is that it is lawful, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: And Allah has made lawful for us the food of the People of the Book, and He has made lawful for us the chaste women among them. This is the default ruling.
So, whatever comes from the slaughter of the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians, is lawful for us until we know that a specific item is forbidden; because it was handled by a non-Book person, handled by a polytheist or idolater, or because it was slaughtered in a manner contrary to the Shari'ah, such as strangling or the like. And if we do not know that, and we find it with its heads cut off, and it comes to us from the lands of the Christians, or from the lands of the Jews, it is lawful for us. This is the default ruling until we know otherwise. This is the ruling I issue based on this default principle.
An unclear question: About the fact that they do not cut the heads, but rather they pass through a machine?
Answer: If something is found without its head cut off, that is evidence that it was strangled. As for what is seen at some butchers, that is not a standard to follow; because they differ in Europe and elsewhere. Among them are those who perform the Shari'ah slaughter, even if it is by a machine through which the chickens and others pass to have their heads cut off. If it passes through a specific machine and the heads are cut off, that is sufficient, even if it is not done by his hand specifically.
The important thing is if the heads are cut off with something sharp, and the blood flows, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If the blood is shed and the name of Allah is mentioned, then eat, unless (it is slaughtered) with teeth or nails.
ما أنهر الدم وذكر اسم الله فكلوه ليس السن والظفرQuestion: Is the invocation not necessary?
Answer: The invocation is obligatory, but they may not know it. They may invoke the name of Allah on what comes from them. If a Muslim leaves off the invocation out of ignorance, or forgetfulness, his slaughter is lawful. And likewise, if a person of the Book leaves it off out of forgetfulness, or ignorance, his slaughter is lawful. And if he does not know that either; for example, the slaughter of a Muslim: he may slaughter and forget, or he may slaughter and be ignorant. He may not invoke the name of Allah on what he does not know about. So, the default ruling is that the slaughter of Muslims is sound. And likewise, the slaughter of the People of the Book.
Question : A slaughterhouse was offered to some Muslims for them to buy, and they found that the machine that cuts is at the end of the process?
Answer: In any case, the default ruling is that it is sound. And the one who knows this specific slaughterhouse should not buy from it if he knows it. And if he does not know it, he is excused. Just as among Muslims there are sinners, and there are the ignorant, and there are others, and yet we eat their slaughter and do not investigate. We say: We fear that this was not slaughtered as it should be, or that the name was not invoked, or that it was such and such. It has been mentioned that we eat their feasts. So, the default ruling is that he invoked the name, and that he is a Muslim. And the People of the Book are likewise. And it is not permissible for us to restrict what Allah has made broad regarding the People of the Book.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.