Intermediate
Lawful & Unlawful
Surah: Al-Maidah (5)
Food of the People of the Book — The Broader Permissibility
وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمۡ
— المائدة الآية 5
Verse: "And the food of those given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them." (5:5)
"Food" meaning: The slaughter of the People of the Book — Jews and Christians. Islam opened this door as facilitation and to enable social coexistence.
Condition of permissibility: That Allah's name is mentioned or intended with sincere purpose — the default is that they name over their slaughter. If it's known to have been slaughtered for idols, it is forbidden.
Lesson: Halal and haram are not built on personal feeling — but on the Sharia ruling. A kitabi's slaughter is halal until the opposite is established.
"Food" meaning: The slaughter of the People of the Book — Jews and Christians. Islam opened this door as facilitation and to enable social coexistence.
Condition of permissibility: That Allah's name is mentioned or intended with sincere purpose — the default is that they name over their slaughter. If it's known to have been slaughtered for idols, it is forbidden.
Lesson: Halal and haram are not built on personal feeling — but on the Sharia ruling. A kitabi's slaughter is halal until the opposite is established.
Source: Al-Qurtubi (6/76); Ibn Al-Arabi (2/26); Ibn Qudama (9/322)
Test Yourself
What is the ruling on eating the slaughter of the People of the Book in Islamic law?
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