Fatwa ID: 02536

Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Imad Ali

Question:

If a person's parent’s brothers and sisters do not care about halal and haram earnings, Is it okay for the son to eat in his parent’s house? I must stress he has no proof that their earnings are haram and when he asks them they insist that their earnings are halal and the food is good
to eat. Is It okay for that person to eat at his families house as he
does not live with his parents, or does he trust them that the food is
halal. He suspects and has seen people from his family playing scratch
cards and brothers talking of working whilst claiming benefits. I must
stress he has no proof.

Answer

Eating Halal is a fundamental aspect for one’s worship being accepted by Allah.

Abu Hurayah narrates that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said: “Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the messengers.” And Allah has said: “O you who believe! Eat of the pure things and do right.” Allah has said: “Oh you who believe! Eat of the pure things we have provided you.” Then the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) mentioned a man who journeyed far and dishelmed and dusty and spends out oh his hand to the Heavens: “O lord! O Lord! While his food is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can his dua be answered!” (Sahih Muslim)

From this Hadith we can understand that unlawful income does have an effect on ones worship and acceptance of ones duas.

It should be borne in mind that if a person’s majority income is lawful and less than half is unlawful, it would be permissible to eat from the food purchased with such income. However, if a person’s majority income is unlawful even though the food itself is halal, but because it was purchased with haram money that food will also be considered haram. (Ahsanul Fataawa p.104 v.8)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Moulana Muhammad Imad Ali

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham