The Ruling On Food Assumed To Be Halal

The Ruling On Food Assumed To Be Halal And Doubts Regarding Its Status

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin

1. The act of cheating in business is undeniably haram (prohibited). If misrepresenting a poor-quality item as high-quality is haram—to the point that the Prophet ﷺ disassociated himself from such a person—then misrepresenting a haram ingredient as halal is far more severe. The sin is undoubtedly greater.

2. Any party that conspires in this fraudulent "meat cartel" or meat deception bears the weight of that sin. The more people who are deceived, the heavier the burden of sin upon the perpetrators.

3. The victims of this deception—those who consumed the haram material thinking it was halal—bear no sin or religious liability. This is based on the word of Allah in the Quran:

وَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَآ أَخۡطَأۡتُم بِهِۦ وَلَٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورا رَّحِيمًا

(Meaning): "And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but only for what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful." (Surah Al-Ahzab: 5)

The Prophet ﷺ also stated in a hadith:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ تَجَاوَزَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأَ، وَالنِّسْيَانَ، وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْهِ

(Meaning): "Indeed, Allah has pardoned for my Ummah their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and that which they are forced to do." (Narrated by Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban; authenticated by al-Albani).

In the Quran, Allah teaches us to pray for protection against being held accountable for our mistakes:

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَاۤ إِن نَّسِینَاۤ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ

(Meaning): "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 286)

4. Regarding meat served or given by a Muslim but its status is doubted, this has been clarified in an authentic hadith where the Prophet ﷺ was asked about this very situation:

قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ هَا هُنَا أَقْوَامًا حَدِيثٌ عَهْدُهُمْ بِشِرْكٍ يَأْتُونَا بِلُحْمَانٍ لَا نَدْرِي يَذْكُرُونَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا أَمْ لَا - أَفَنَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا؟-قَالَ اذْكُرُوا أَنْتُمْ اسْمَ اللَّهِ وَكُلُوا

(Meaning): They asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, there are people here (in Madinah) who have recently left polytheism (new Muslims) who bring us meat, and we do not know if they mentioned the name of Allah over it (during slaughter) or not. Should we eat from it?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Mention the name of Allah (say Bismillah) yourselves and eat.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, al-Nasai, and Abu Daud).

5. This means the Prophet ﷺ permitted the meat to be eaten and recommended reciting Bismillah before eating. Sheikh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbad explained in Syarh Kitab al-Sunnah min Sunnan Abi Dawud: “This hadith shows that it is not obligatory to ask, nor should one investigate whether the name of Allah was mentioned. If we open this door, people will start asking: ‘Does the slaughterer meet the requirements? Was the tool valid?’ This leads to unnecessary complications when the default state (Asl) is safety (since the meat comes from a Muslim). The Prophet ﷺ gave a clear answer: eat and recite Bismillah.”

6. Based on this, a Muslim is not sinful for eating meat that is halal on the surface (zahir), even if they have doubts (syak) about its true status. It is sufficient that the provider is a Muslim to assume the meat is halal. Unless there is clear and certain evidence (yaqin) that the meat is haram, thus we are not allowed to consume it.

7. Therefore, we can eat at a restaurant or a home owned by a Muslim even if there is no official halal logo. If the owner lies, the sin is theirs. We only stop eating if we have certain proof that the food is haram.

8. Based on the same principle, any food certified by a trusted Islamic body anywhere in the world—not strictly limited to JAKIM—is considered halal. Halal logos managed by Muslim communities anywhere are valid to be accepted. Again, unless we have certain proof or evidence that the certifications have been invalidated.

9. For our information, many contemporary scholars have issued fatwas (legal rulings) stating that meat from countries where the majority are Christians or Jews (Ahl al-Kitab) can be eaten, provided it is not from a prohibited animal like pork. This is based on Surah al-Maidah, verse 5. Figures like Sheikh Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Sheikh Mustafa al-Zarqa ruled that as long as the slaughter is considered halal according to their religious laws, it is permissible for us.

10. The renowned jurist Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Fathi al-Duraini noted that the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, following the majority of scholars (Jumhur), ruled that meat imported from Ahl al-Kitab countries is halal provided: we do NOT know it was slaughtered in a name other than Allah, we do NOT know it was killed using a method contrary to Shariah (like strangling or striking), and we do NOT know it is a prohibited animal.

11. Sheikh ‘Atiyah Saqar, former head of the Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, shared this view: "If we have reliable information that the meat was slaughtered in a non-Islamic way, it is haram. If we know it was Islamic, it is permissible. If we do not know the method but there are signs supporting its halal status—such as the label 'Halal' or coming from a Christian/Jewish country—it is permissible based on the Quranic verse: 'The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you...'" (Surah al-Maidah: 5).

12. The best path for the Muslim Ummah is to produce our own food, from farming to slaughter. This removes all doubt and strengthens both our economy and our religious certainty.

13. In conclusion, meat brought to us by Muslim individuals or communities (such as Indian Muslims) or from Muslim countries is assumed halal. Meat from Christian or Jewish majority countries is also permissible unless there is specific proof of improper slaughter (strangulation, etc.) or that it is a forbidden animal.

14. However, choosing meat with a trusted halal logo or from a Muslim source we trust is always the best and most preferred (afdal) choice when available. We should choose the best, but we should not declare haram what the scholars have ruled as halal.