Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Aslam-o-Alaikum !

I really like and appriciate your practice to guid muslims. Brother ! actually I live in canada and I have some non-muslim friends (Sikh, Hindu, cristian). Some times they invite me for food and they know that we muslim don`t eat those animals whom are not slaughtered in islamic way (cow, goat, chicken). Last week one of mine HINDU friend invited me to have food at his home for almost 10 times and he force me to have food being sincere. After too many offers I went to his home and he made (chicken & rice mixed) I ate that but without meat. I see this kind of situations many times with other friends too. Please guid me in this regard.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Food from hindus non muslims

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is absolutely no harm in accepting the invitation of non-muslims and eating of the halaal food they may provide. If one is unsure whether the meat provided in your non-muslim friend’s house is halaal, the believers must abstain from consuming the meat and eat only of the non-meat dishes.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 121: Eat not of (meats) on which Allah's name hath not been pronounced: that would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you; if ye were to obey them ye would indeed be pagans.

Dear and Beloved Brother, regardless of how sincere your non-muslim friend is, or how many times he offers you to eat of the meat at his house which is not halaal; it would be purer for you to abstain from eating the ‘haraam’ meat and eat only of the vegetation which Allah has made halaal for the believers. If your friend in indeed genuine and sincere and respects the ordains of other faiths, he would not force or coerce you to eat something which you do not wish to eat. Would your Hindu friend eat any of the beef dishes you were to provide him at your house, if he was indeed sincere to his faith?

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan