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Fatwa CenterCan't Find Halal Meat in China
Question
I am an Arabic man but I now live in China to study, so I have a problem with eating. I cannot eat meat because is not (Halal), but I cannot find other meat to eat. I am so thin some friends say it possible to eat meat because you have not found other meat to eat and life is so difficult for Muslims. What can I do now to eat this meat?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Eating what is unlawful whether it is meat or anything else is forbidden except at the time of dire necessity. Allah Says (what means): {Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 5:3]
The dire necessity means that the person does not have any chance to live other than using what is forbidden; otherwise, he will face death.
The questioner is far removed from the condition of the dire necessity since there are many other lawful foods. If a person does not eat meat, he will not die since he will find the same proteins and minerals in other foods. Losing weight means losing fat and starch; it does not mean losing proteins and minerals.
The best solution to get lawful meat is to found a special slaughterhouse for Muslims or to demand the authorities to appoint a Muslim or Christian or Jew to slaughter.
If it is not possible, then you may purchase an animal and slaughter it yourself; if this is not possible as well, then you can use fish only. If the above solution is not sufficient and you are keen to use meat, then return to your country to find all kinds of lawful meat.
Allah knows best.
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