Fatwa ID: 02533

Answered by: Maulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Question:

Assalamu Aleykom wa rahmatullah dear mufti.
If someone is to eat at the house of family, relativesorfriendsthatdoesn't practice Islam or maybe even are non-Muslims, then how shall one act? Shall one be cautious when eating?
Foraninstance the food is of course halal. But sometimes one find that their fridges is mixed with haram. The may be instances where they don't wash their hands or touches something non-halal before making your food. Shall one be cautious and try to avoid? How about one who is living with his family? It can happen that they touch something haram and with the same fingers or spoons they put it in a bunk of olives filled with water making the whole water najis, then maybe those olives will be served in the dinner sallad.
I want to be strict on this matter butatthesametime I don't want to fall in extreme misgivings. Can you give me some clarifications?

Answer

Sheikh Yusuf Ludhyanvi has written (nearest translation):

“Islam is not the name of adapting other communities or practices, and to imitate the (ﷺ)would invite non-Muslim also and would host them and vice versa the Prophet (ﷺ)would accept invitation from non-Muslim for meals. Scholars have mentioned that this shouldn’t be done often, as there would be haram items, but if a need arises then its permissible” (Aap ke Masa’ail aur unke Hal, Vol 7, Pg 191, Maktaba Ludhyanvi)non Muslims in many of their practices it's not permissible… The Prophet

From above its clear that is permissible to some extent, but one should always try to avoid such gatherings as much as they can. Our Taqwa and piety should be that level in which we should abstain.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and Approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham