Eating meat slaughtered in a Muslim country

3-2-2010 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamo alaykom.
I live in a muslim country with muslim ruler, and, the slaghterhouses are inspected by governmental authorities to confirm that they conform to islamic laws. However, there are instances that the "unlawful" slaghterhouses are closed, and the meat they produce is discarded, and the event is disclosed. I was wondering, as it is theoretically possible for the meat we consume to be unlawful (prior to the recognition by government inspectors), is it permissible to consume it or not.
Thanks
Jazaakomollah

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

 

If all the people of this country are Muslims, then in principle the meat of animals slaughtered there is lawful unless the contrary is proven. ‘Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her narrated that people asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ): "O Prophet of Allaah, meat is brought to us by some people and we do not know whether or not they mentioned the Name of Allaah on it (when slaughtering the animal). Then the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ''Mention the Name of Allaah on it and eat from it.” [Al-Bukhari] Therefore, in this case the doubt should not be taken into account.

However, if there are Muslims and non-Muslims in the country, then in principle the animals slaughtered there are not lawful. Nevertheless, if most of the people of the country are Muslims, then the meat is considered to be lawful acting according to the majority which implies that it is more likely that their meat is lawful and this is given priority over the principle which implies its unlawfulness, as stated by As-Suyooti  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him in his book “Al-Ashbaah Wan-Nathaa’ir” quoting Abu Is-Haaq Al-Isfraayeeni  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him.

Allaah Knows best.

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