The Importance of Halaal Food and Earnings

When it comes to meat and products containing meat, never simply put your reliance on "Halaal Certificates". Always find out for yourself where exactly the meat is from, who slaughtered it, where it gets slaughtered, etc. It's of utmost importance that the food you consume is Halaal. Care must be taken in this regard.

It comes in a Riwaayat that the Du`aas of a person who consumes Haraam is not accepted by Allaah Rabbul `Izzat. Each and every one of us desire that Allaah Ta`aalaa accepts our Du`aas. If we truly want that, we have to make the sacrifice and abandon all foods and drinks which are Haraam and ensure that the food we eat is Halaal, and that the income we used to purchase it is Halaal.

http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/24316

http://darulfiqh.com/what-should-i-do-with-food-that-has-haram-ingredients-in-it/

Allaah Ta`aalaa says in the Qur'aan:


In another Aayah of the Qur'aan, Allaah Ta`aalaa says:


The Qur'aan is understood holistically. Parts are not snatched out and misinterpreted. Parts of the Qur'aan explain other parts.

From these Aayaat, the `Ulamaa have said that during the time of Sahaabah-e-Kiraam, the meat slaughtered by the Ahl-ul-Kitaab was permissible for consumption by Muslims on account of the fact that those Ahl-ul-Kitaab (Jews and Christians) used to take the Name of Allaah Ta`aalaa when slaughtering the animals.

There is great danger in these times in eating meat slaughtered by people who claim to be Ahl-ul-Kitaab; it is best to avoid it and stick to meat slaughtered by Muslims. Then too, slaughtered in the correct manner.

Two primary conditions must be found for meat slaughtered by anyone - Muslims or the so-called Ahl-ul-Kitaab of today - to be considered Halaal:

1. The animal is slaughtered by cutting the throat and oesophagus and letting the blood flow. If the animal is killed in any other manner, whether it be through strangulation, beating, electric shock, drowning, or any other method, the meat will be Haraam.
2. The Name of Allaah Ta`aalaa must be taken when slaughtering, and no one else's name should have been taken. Meaning, if the slaughterer took the name of Jesus, for example, the meat is Haraam.

We are living in a time wherein no consideration is given to Halaal and Haraam. Many restaurant and take-away owners are for the most part unscrupulous when it comes to their businesses; if they have to sell Mushtabah (doubtful) or even Haraam foods for the sake of making some extra money, few are those who will resist the temptation to do so. People love money too much.

In these times, where meat is concerned, the best is to try and slaughter the animal yourself. If you know of any farms in your locality where animals are kept, take a trip down there once a month or so. Slaughter the sheep/goat yourself as well as the chickens. If you know of any reliable butchers, you can then have them cut the meat up for you and package it. You can then keep that in your freezer at home and use from it as you need.

It can be difficult to do, but if you want to become closer to Allaah Sub-haanahu wa Ta`aalaa then it is essential.
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrates that Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "A time will come upon people wherein a man will not bother what he intakes (i.e. of food); whether it is from Halaal or from Haraam." [Narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari.]

Imaam Yusuf ibn Asbaat رحمة الله عليه said, "When a young man dedicates himself to `Ibaadah, Shaytaan says to his associates (from the Jinn): "Check where his food and earnings is from." If it is from evil (i.e. Haraam), Shaytaan says to them, "Leave him to tire himself out and strive hard (in `Ibaadah). He has sufficed you against himself. His striving in `Ibaadah while consuming Haraam will not benefit him." [Narrated in al-Kabaa'ir of Imaam adh-Dhahabi.]

Shaykh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah رحمة الله عليه said, "Whosoever gives Sadaqah from Haraam, (then rather than getting Thawaab for it) he becomes blameworthy by Allaah Ta`aalaa, and on account of it, he becomes worthy of being punished in the Dunyaa and in the Aakhirah."

​...اللهم احفظنا

If a woman slaughters the animal, is it halal?

Little_Lion said:

If a woman slaughters the animal, is it halal?

Click to expand...

Absolutely. In fact, it is a good idea for the sisters to sometimes slaughter their own sheep/goat for Qurbaani on `Eidul Adh-haa. Generally they ask the husband, father or brother(s) to do it, but if they do it themselves sometimes, it will be good.

The `Ulamaa have mentioned that eating Haraam and even Mushtabah (doubtful) food makes the person lazy for `Ibaadah, turns their mind away from the Aakhirah and takes it towards the Dunyaa instead. In order to keep the Noor in your heart shining bright, you must partake only of food that is Halaalan Tayyiba.

Taken from a post of mine in another thread:

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Fish is nicest when it's from a fishery (by people who know how to make it just right), and of course, chips as the side dish, and served with coleslaw.

So these are the kinds of option people have when Halaal meat isn't readily available. Either slaughter your own meat, or choose fish.

It would actually work out cheaper if you went to a farm, bought a sheep, slaughtered it yourself, had a blockman cut it up for you, and stored it at home in your freezer. If you bought that same amount of meat from a butchery, you'd spend much more. At the same time, when going to the farm, you can buy and slaughter a couple of chickens one time, and those you can skin and cut up yourself because it's very simple. That takes care of your meat and chicken. Then you can even go fishing if you like, or buy fresh fish and store it in your freezer, and now you're stocked up with Halaal meats. Cut out restaurants and take-aways. If you have to buy food (because you don't have the time to make, for example,) then there are always fisheries. Buy fish and chips. If you do this, you'll get three benefits:

1. Only eating Halaal, Tayyib food.
2. Saving money.
3. It's healthier.

I make my own pizzas instead of buying. Pizzas are very easy to make. Chicken pizzas are the nicest.

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Shaykh `Abdullaah `Azzaam writes in his Kitaab, "A Message to Every Youth":

"There is a story that, while beingi merely symbolic, is deeply affecting. The story is that a wealthy person died, and his children said: "We wish for a man to keep our father company in his grave for just one night." So, they dug two holes, and connected each with the other. In one of the holes, they put their father, and they left the other hole empty. They then searched for someone who would be brave enough to lay himself next to the corpse. So, they eventually found a servant, and said to him: "We will give you a thousand dinars if you spend one night next to our father." He replied: "I will take the money, and if I die, my children can live off of it. If I live, I will start a business with it." The Angels of punishment then descended, saying: "These are two people. One of them is alive, and the other is dead. One is spending one night here, and the other is with us for good. Since this person is leaving tomorrow, let us begin by questioning him." So, they asked him: "Who are you?"

He replied: "My name is such-and-such."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I am a servant who carries things for people."

"You carry things for people? What do you use to carry these things?"

"I use a rope made of fiber."

"Were you sure that this fiber was pure, and was not najas? And how did you earn the ten shillings with which you purchased the rope?"

"I worked for such-and-such a person."

"Were you sure that his wealth was acquired by permissible means, and not by forbidden means?"

Anyway, they continued questioning him about the rope and his work from sunset to the next morning, after which he exited the grave. So, the children of the dead man came to him, asking him about what had happened. He replied: "Your father will not cease to be punished until the Day of Resurrection." They asked him: "Why?" He replied: "Because I do not own except this single piece of rope that I carry things with, and the Angels spent the entire night asking me about it, where I got it, where I went with it, etc. So, how would it be for your father, who owned all of these gardens, palaces, and buildings? When would they finish taking him to account?"

In truth, this is simply a symbolic story. However, it carries deep meaning and cause for reflection."

[A Message to Every Youth, p. 19-21]

Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"Flesh that was nourished on Suht (i.e. Haraam food and earnings) will not enter Jannah, and any flesh that has been nourished on Suht, then the fire (of Jahannam) is more deserving of it." [Narrated by Imaam Ahmad.]