The Importance of Eating Permissible and Wholesome Foods: Part 5/Conclusion

The Importance of Eating Permissible and Wholesome Foods


 Part Five
Conclusion


By Na’eem Abdullah

www.nuruzzamaaninstitute.org
http://www.lightoftheage.com/
nuruzzamaan.blogspot.com



صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ تَسْلِيماً

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ كَفَى وَ سَلاَمُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ: فَيَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَلَى:



In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. May Allah bless our master (sayyidina) Muhammad, his family and companions and give them peace. All Praises are due to Allah, He is sufficient (for us). Peace be upon His slaves, who He has chosen. As to what follows:



It was not our intention deal with the subject of animal slaughter in its totality. Our aim and objective was only to clarify some of the misconceptions that have become widespread during our time. These misunderstandings have led to many blameworthy practices that all stem from the consumption of the haram.

We have shown – by the grace of Allah – [1] that the first and last prohibition revealed to mankind was a dietary one. [2] The meat that was prohibited during the end of the Prophet’s mission was the same as it was at the beginning of his mission; unlike alcohol which was made unlawful in stages. [3] Eating properly slaughtered meat was directly connected to our belief system (‘aqeedah) by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself. It is an outward sign that one is a Muslim and the opposite is true as well. [4] Eating properly slaughtered meat is so critical that Allah has made it incumbent on the regular believers to live up to the Prophetic standard. [5] Eating haram meat is a direct cause for having ones du’a (supplication or prayers) rejected by Allah. [6] The consumption of haram makes one lazy in his or her worship (‘ibaadah) along with several other negative consequences. [7] Muslims are not permitted to eat several categories of meat that have not been slaughtered properly. This restriction is not only limited to pork. [8] Most of the meat found in supermarkets and restaurants are not permissible for Muslims to eat. [9] Muslims are allowed to eat the meat of the ‘People of the Book’, but that is with conditions: (a) the method of slaughter must be proper (and we have discussed this at some length), (b) the name of Allah must be mentioned at the time of slaughter, and (c) the slaughter must a Kitaabi. These conditions are the same as those that must be upheld by a Muslim when he slaughters an animal. [10] Saying ‘Bismillah’ over haram meat does not make it halaal (permissible) to eat.

As we have mentioned it was not our intention to cover the subject of animal slaughter in its totality. However, if one wants to delve a little deeper into the subject matter we recommend reading The Islamic Laws of Animal Slaughter by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani; which we have been quoting extensively throughout this discourse.

We will conclude by saying what Shaykh ‘Uthman Dan Fodio said in his book ‘Umdat ul-‘Ubaad (The Support of the Slaves of Allah). “Whoever devotes himself to what is in this book and takes some benefit from it, I ask that he include me in his pious supplication, that Allah may benefit me by it in this world and the hereafter. It has been related in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Dardaa', may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said,

“The supplication of an individual Muslim for his brother who is absent is answered. There sits at his head an angel charged with his needs. Whenever he supplicates for blessings for his brother, the angel charged with his affairs says, Amen-and the like for you.”