Fatwa ID: 08588

 

 

Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim

 

Question:

 

During lunch at work today, I was seated near a non-Muslim colleague whose meal contained alcohol. Midway through eating, I noticed a small dust particle floating in the air before it vanished from sight. I wasn’t entirely certain whether it had come from their food or if it had landed on mine, so I continued eating as usual.

 

 

However, I am now experiencing doubts, wondering whether my food may have been contaminated. If it was, I fear I may have spread impurity. If it wasn’t, I would like to understand how to prevent such thoughts from arising again. How can I find reassurance and avoid falling into unnecessary doubt?

 

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

You have done well by continuing to eat in the scenario presented above. Prior to addressing the issue concerning doubts on the purity or impurity of a thing, it is worth noting that dust particles are not impure in and of themselves.

 

As for the doubts surrounding the contamination or cross-mixing of food, they are to be disregarded and bear no consequence. Possibility does not do away with certainty, nor are we required or encouraged to delve deeply into such matters. One of the ways in which you can prevent such thoughts from arising again is to understand that in the Shari’ah everything is considered pure until proven otherwise; doubt and mere possibility DOES NOT establish or serve as proof.

 

Another course of action would be to eat your food at a distance from those colleagues who do not eat halal meals. This suggestion would be until you have confidently convinced yourself of the above mentioned principle on the default ruling of purity.

 

 

 

 

References:

1.

وجمهور العلماء على إعمال أصل (الاستصحاب) عند فقد الدليل الخاص في المسألة، فهو آخر ما يلجأ إليه الفقيه في استفادة الحكم الشرعي.

ومن القواعد الفقهية المُنْبَثِقة عن الاستصحاب:

١ـ اليقين لا يزول بالشك.

٢ـ الأصل بقاء ما كان على ما كان.

٣ـ الأصل في الأشياء الإباحة.

٤ـ الأصل براءة الذمة.

[كتاب تيسير علم أصول الفقه، صفحة ٢٢٣، مؤسسة الزيان للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع]

 

 

2.

وأن الحاجة تنزل منزلة الضرورة مادامت متعينة، وأن الأصل في الأشياء الإباحة مالم يقم دليل معتبر على الحرمة، كما أن الأصل في الأشياء كلها الطهارة مالم يقم دليل معتبر على النجاسة.

[كتاب الفقه الاسلامي وادلته، ج.٧، صفحة ٥٢٦٤، دار الفكر]

 

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham