Question for the Fiqh Buffs

[Kafka on the Shore]

Assalaamu Calaykum Wa Raxmatullaahi Wa Baraatuh,

Bismillaah:

 

I thank all those sisters and brothers who've helped me (and helped each other) on this board. I hope that you'll be able to sincerely help me by answering me (to the best of your ability) the following question: What type of meat is considered halaal? I'm looking for a complete answer here, specifically one that includes issues such as eating the meat of:

1) Animals that were NOT killed by human beings

2) Animals that have been fed animal remains (i.e. NOT grain fed, for instance).

 

I do not mean to cause fitnah by posing this question, thus I only intend on receiving scholarly and accurate answers from those who are very familiar with this issue. This means no partial/selective answers and no opinion (unless it's from a respected scholar). And even if it is from a respected (peer-acknowledged scholar), please indicate whether or not his peers agree with him/her or disapprove of his/her fatwah. You can see how much of a complete picture I'm looking for (because we all know scholars are divided on this issue), so no one-sided answers please.

 

Jazaakumullaahu khayr,

Wassalaamu calaykum

[S.O.S]

Dear brother Aristotle,

 

Because no one is answering your question, and the reason we all are here, I hope, is to benefit each other and assist those with enquiries if we think we know and ask for assistance if we need help with anything. I didn’t attempt to answer your questions immediately as I was hoping that there would be other who know these answers better than I do, but for some reason you haven’t been given, so here is my take on them.

 

Many years ago, in one of the mainland European countries, my mother used to force to attend small-circle study sessions at a nearby mosque. The topics used to vary from al-xalaal wal-xaraam fil-Islaam to moral lessons from qisass-ul-anbiyaa and the Qur’aan as a whole. Since I was there not by free will, I used sit there very annoyed for not being able to hang around with my friends, and therefore never used to pay any attention to whatsoever was said there. However, there was one issue that I was very keen on understanding; and that was what is xalaal and what is xaaraam of the food I eat. Back then (as a ****** teenage boy) I used to take eating xalaal food more seriously than praying! Even though I have a poor memory, I really think that could answer your questions, but only with some help from others.

 

Q 1) Whether it’s xalaal to eat the meat of “1) Animals that were NOT killed by human beingsâ€

 

If we accept in the first place the assumption that not all animals killed by human beings are xalaal for us to eat, and you are hopefully aware of that, then lets swiftly move to the first question.

 

As a general rule, all animals not killed by humans including those which die at accidents or fall off cliffs are xaaraam to eat, but there are three exceptions:

 

1) Fish and grasshoppers (especially the locust family of the grasshoppers are very tasty if prepared the correct way)

 

2) The trained hunter-dog, when let lose to catch the prey is done with ‘bismi-Llaah’, then that meat is xalaal even if the prey is already dead when you arrive at the scene, except for the following two case-scenarios;

 

a) if the do takes a bite from the meat, then it becomes xaaraam, because we assume the dog caught the meat for its own consumption

 

b) if there are other hunter animals nearby the prey when you arrive at the scene, then it also becomes xaaraam, because we don’t know which animal caught the prey first

 

3) There is a danger of starvation or a serious harm to one’s health due to extreme hunger, and the only food one has access to is a meat not killed by humans, then the shariicah allows us to consume from that meat, but only an amount which is sufficient for survival and not more.

 

 

Unfortunately, I’m not quite sure what you by “animal remainsâ€. Please explain that question with more detail so I may understand the nature of your question.

[Kafka on the Shore]

Jazaakallahu khayr Shams,

 

Therefore, it is understood from your reply that all animals (including those that are killed by machines on the 'production lines' are also xaraam). If I have misinterpreted your statement, please object and kindly direct me to understand what exactly it was that you meant.

 

To further elaborate on the "animal remains" part of my question, I am specifically asking whether or not it is xalaal to eat animals that ARE NOT grain fed (ex. the majority of the chickens and cattle that are on the market today are fed animal remains for protein, they are not fed grass or other grain product). Is the consumption of such animals (that aren't exclusively grain fed) xalaal in Islam? By that I mean to ask, have the scholars agreed upon the permissibility of this consumption, or is there a difference of opinion? IF there is a difference of opinion, which side did the majority of the scholarly community take?

 

Your help is much appreciated akhi Shams.

 

Fii amaanillaah

[Pacifist]

Salaam

 

When ever I need a question answered or I have doublts I go to www.islamonline.net

 

the scholars there have greatly helped me. Just a suggestion to you Aristote.

[S.O.S]

The answer is that all animals NOT killed by humans are xaaraam, except for the three above mentioned cases.

 

The second question is more complicated, but I did ask a sheikh once whether those animals you’ve referred to can be classified as street-animals, and since street animals are xaaraam to consume their meat or milk unless kept from the streets for a period of days before it can become xalaal to consume again. The sheikh told me that it was a matter of proportionality, which depends on whether these animals are fed in proportion more xaaraam or xalaal products. If for example, they are fed more meat and bones to boost their artificial proteins hormones, then these animals are xaaraam, unless they are kept few days and are fed normally so they can get these germs out of their system.

 

Wallaahu aclam.