Fiqh of Food Course

Summary

ISLAMICALLY-ACCEPTABLE FOOD:

11. All domesticated and wild land animals that are ritually slaughtered like goats, cattle, sheep, chickens,
gazelles, bison, deer, etc.
22. All sea animals regardless of how they are caught; no ritual slaughter is required.

Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as

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provision for you and the travelers. [al-Mā’idah, 5:96]

3. Permissible to eat animals that have ability to live on both land and water except predators with fangs
like crocs and alligators.
4. All fruits, vegetables, and plants except those that are poisonous or used as recreational narcotics.

PROHIBITED FOR CONSUMPTION:

11. Pig and all its species and derivatives whether wild or domesticated along with their milk/flesh/fur/skin/
lard.
22. Fanged predators like dogs, cats, monkeys, eagles, falcons, etc. that hunt other animals with sharp
teeth or talons.

The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

HADITH

prohibited (eating) every predator possessing canine teeth

or talons. [Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhi Vol. 3, Book 16, Ḥadīth 1477]

33. Animals considered disgusting by majority of humanity like cockroaches, rats, mice, scorpions, etc.

Allāh Allows for the pure things to be eaten and has

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forbidden anything that is harmful, filthy, or dangerous.

[al-A‘rāf, 7:157]

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 44. Jallālah animal: a pure animal nourished by impure foods such as chicken nourished on carcass. It is
temporarily forbidden to consume them until they are fed pure foods for a number of days.
55. Frogs are forbidden

When a physician consulted the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi

HADITH
wa sallam) about putting frogs in medicine, he forbade him
to kill them. [Sunan Abu Dāwūd Book 42, Ḥadīth 5249]

CONDITIONS OF SLAUGHTER:
11. Presence of an intention to slaughter.
22. Must be carried out by a Muslim, Christian or Jew.
33. Must use a sharp instrument that causes blood to flow.

Narrated ’Adiy b. Ḥātim: I said: Messenger of Allāh, tell me

HADITH

when one of us catches game and has no knife; may he

slaughter with a flint and a splinter of stick. He said: Cause
the blood to flow with whatever you like and mention
Allāh’s name. [Ṣaḥīḥ; Sunan Abu Dāwūd 2824: Book 15,
Ḥadīth 2818]

44. Mention the name of Allāh (tasmiah) in all circumstances

So mention the name of Allāh upon them when lined up

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(for sacrifice). [al-Ḥajj, 22:36]

And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has
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not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience.

[al-An‘ām, 6:121]

Narrated ‘Adiy b. Ḥātim: I asked the Prophet (about the

HADITH

hunting dogs): Sometimes I send my dog for hunting and

find another dog with it. He said: Do not eat the game
for you have mentioned Allāh’s name only on sending
your dog and not the other dog. [Ḥadīth in Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhāri
Book 4, Ḥadīth 41]

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Points to Consider:

■■ Safe to assume that meat in Muslim majority lands is slaughtered correctly.

■■ Threat of death by stunning/electrocution exists for large animals before being slaughtered in
non-Muslim majority lands. Therefore, commercially available meats may not be permissible.

GELATIN/ALCOHOL IN FOOD AND MEDICINE:

If a large quantity of any beverage intoxicates, then a

HADITH
small amount of it is prohibited. [Ḥadīth in Musnad of
Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal]

The following foods are impermissible for Muslims to consume:

11. Meats sautéed with wine

22. Beer battered items like fish
33. Products cooked in lard from pig or incorrectly slaughtered animals

Istihlāk: presence of insignificantly small quantities of alcohol or rennet in food:

■■ Allowed if quantity is at the molecular level

■■ Example is vanilla extract and cheese

Alcohol in medicine like cough syrup:

■■ Presence of ethanol as a preservative and not meant to intoxicate, therefore permissible

Gelatin: used to give structure to a substance

■■ Permissible once a haram substance completely transforms into another substance
■■ Gelatin is permissible if sourced from:
»» Ritually slaughtered animals
»» Kosher animals
»» Vegetable or fish
»» Chemically created or synthetically produced