Regarding the christmas food. All perfect praise and adorations be to Allaah; We beseech His peace and blessings upon the Noble Prophet of Allaah (alayhi ssoolatu wassalaam). We have found some of our brethren giving verdicts on the permissibilty of eating the food of the christians during their christmas celebrations. They however have evidences but we say they have some misconceptions regarding those evidences of theirs. From their evidences: Allaah says in suuratul Maahida: Today it has been made permissible for you the Toyyibaat(pure things) and the food of those who were the scriptures (the Jews and Christians) and your food has also been made permissible for them.. (Suuratul Maahida Verse 5) However; Al-Imaam Al-Haafidh Al-Qoori Ismaaeel Ibn Katheer Ad-damshqee (rahimahuLlaah) explained this verse saying that: ALlaah mentions what he had forbidden for His believers from forbidden things and what He permitted for them from Pure things. Then He mentions the ruling regarding the slaughtering of the people of the scriptures (from the Jews and christians). Ibn Abbaas; Aboo Umaamah; Mujaahid; Ikrimah; Atooh; Al-Hasan and the others from the salafs agree that the slaughtering the people of the book is permissible for the muslims. This is because the THEN People of the book from the Jews and christians understood clearly the imperssibility of slaughtering to other than Allaah(as this is a habit known with only the mushrikoon) and they never used to mention other than Allaahs name upon their slaughtering. Al-Imaam Ibn Katheer said in the foot note that: What is however most clear and apparent regarding this verse as explained by Al-Imaam Al-Mufassir Al-Qurtubee (rahimahuLlaah) in his tafseer and many from the Ulamaa is that: If you hear anyone from the people of the book e.g a christian or Jew mention other than Allaahs name upon their slaughtering; then it is not permissible to eat from such based on the general statement of the verse 3 in suuratul Maahida. This is also the statement from some of the companions (radiyaLlaahu anhum) like aaisha; Ibn Umar and others. Meanwhile; what is clear and apparent is that the slaughtering of the christians fall under the general ruling of impermisibility. As indeed there christmas falls under two rulings: 1. The origin of it is shirk and kufr. As it was used to celebrate and remember a god of ancient time. So slaughtering animals on this day is forbidden and the slaughtered animal is not permissible for the muslims as Allaah has forbidden the eating of animals sluaghtered for gods/goddess as He Jalla wa alaa says: And what is slaughtered for a god/goddess(is forbidden). (Suuratul Maahida Verse 3). 2. If they claim that it was slaughtered not to celebrate a god but to celebrate Nabiyy Eesa. We say this is also not permissible as Allaah has indeed made forbidden the slaughtering animals to other than him from His creatures. Allaah says: And what has been slaughtered for other than Allaah(is forbidden) Al-Imaam Ibn katheer said: Even if Allaahs name was mentioned upon the slaughtering of the animal; it is impermissible as it was slaughtered to other than Allaah. As indeed ALlaah has commanded His slaves to always mention His Great name on their slaughtering. Therefore the clear and apparent understanding of the verse 5 of suuratul Maahida is regarding the slaughtering of the People of the book (from the Jews and christians) DIFFERENT from their festival slaughterings as these slaughterings are made for other than Allaah and therefore not permissible as explained earlier. Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer said while explaining verse 3 of Maahida that: Even though there are differences among the Ulamaa regarding the permissiblity of slaughterings upon which Allaahs name was not mentioned as necessitated in verse 4 of suuratul Maahida. However what is most correct is that this slaughtering based on the explanation of verse 4 of Maahida with its verse 5. So We can eat the meat slaughtered at Mama Johnsons or Iya Samuels canteen(again: different from their festival slaughtering) as this falls under the general ruling of the verse 5 of suuratul Maahida and this is indeed the correct understanding of the verse.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 10:45:32 +0000