بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
During the era of the Sahaabah, the
Ahl-ul-Kitaab used to slaughter their animals in the same manner which the Muslims did, and used to slaughter in the name of one
Ilaah, not the trinity. Hence, the eating of that meat was made permissible in the Qur'aan.
However, the meat of animals slaughtered by Christians and (most) Jews of today,
Illaa Maa Shaa'allaah is Haraam for a variety of reasons:
1) They do not slaughter the animal in the correct way. Their animals are not even slaughtered. A variety of torturous methods are used, such as stunning, electrocution, beating the animal to death, etc. If even a Muslim does this, the animal will be Haraam. Also, in most plants, abattoirs, etc. mechanical slaughtering takes place. Now, according to the
Sharee`ah, the following three conditions must be met in order for meat to be permissible:
- Most of the four veins in the neck are cut using a knife, blade or any tool which has a sharp edge, so that the animal does not undergo any suffering.
- Tasmiyah (the Name of Allaah Ta`aalaa was taken at the time of slaughtering).
- The slaughterer must be a Muslim, or from the Ahl-ul-Kitaab.
If these three primary
Shuroot (conditions) are not found, the meat will be Haraam.
2) Many of those who claim to be Christians today do not even truly believe in their religion, but have atheistic or agnostic beliefs.
3) Those claiming to be Christians or Jews, when slaughtering, do not take the Name of Allaah Ta`aalaa. They do not take any name at all. An animal slaughtered by them is thus
Haraam and
Maytah (carrion).
4) Extreme
Zhulm (oppression) of animals takes place at Kuffaar abattoirs. The animals are ill-treated, kept in horrendous conditions worse than a prison, the animals are sometimes injected with substances to make them bigger and these substances then affect the health of the consumers, etc.
Islaam places a great deal of importance on ensuring that the food one eats is
Halaal (Permissible) and
Tayyib (Wholesome). Allaah Ta`aalaa commanded the Ambiyaa
عليهم السلام to eat only such food which is Halaal and
Tayyib, and He gave us the very same command as well. The person who eats Haraam food is not only ruining his Aakhirah, he is ruining his health as well. Examine anything which the
Sharee`ah has made Haraam and you will find that there is harm in it. Allaah Ta`aalaa has commanded us with all good and forbidden us from all evil, and from everything which is harmful to us.
May Allaah Ta`aalaa grant all of us the
Tawfeeq (ability) to consume only such food which is
Halaal and
Tayyib,
آمين يا رب العالمين
والسلام