Fatwa ID: 07926
Answered by Aalimah Khadija Tarwala
Question:
My parents eat non-halal food and I tell them not to but they don’t listen. My problem is, how do I avoid the spreading of this haram food when I have to wash their plates and the water splashes everywhere? I always have to constantly clean around me and the tablecloth is also stained with the stew that is mixed with the impure meat. This also spreads around. Sometimes I may not be aware and mistakenly wipe my hands with it which also makes it impure. Please help me as it causes me hardship and is overwhelming. Also if I live in a country where Christianity is the largest faith in the country but the majority of the people aren’t Christian, can the country still be considered people of the book?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
According to the Hanafi school of thought, food that contains non-halal meat is impure (najis), and if the food comes into direct contact with other surfaces, the impurity may spread. However, an impurity must come into direct contact with something and stay there to spread. If utensils or plates have come into contact with non-halal food, they must be properly cleaned with water.
Food containing non-halal meat should always be cleaned with water if it spills onto a tablecloth or other surfaces. The impurity won’t spread if it is removed through washing. The area will be considered clean once the impurity has been removed with water. If you come into contact with the impurity unintentionally, such as through your hands or clothing, wash the affected area with water.
This principle is reflected in the idea that impurities only affect an item when they are visible or in direct contact with it. For example, wet najasa doesn’t transfer unless it’s visible. If the impurity is hidden or doesn’t spread, the object remains pure. Even if a rug or surface has hidden najasa, it can still be used for prayer, as long as the impurity isn’t visible or touching the area being used. This shows that impurity only has an effect when there is direct contact with something visible.
The term “People of the Book” refers to those who follow the revealed scriptures (Torah and the Gospel). It applies to Jews and Christians who follow their religious texts, though the Quran acknowledges that some followers have changed the scriptures over time. As a result, the term “People of the Book” refers to individual believers rather than an entire country. A country where Christianity is the dominant religion but not all people follow the Christian scriptures cannot be labelled a “People of the Book.”
Only Allah knows best
Written by Aalimah Khadija Tarwala.
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah.
Darul Ifta Birmingham.
كتاب كشاف القناع عن متن الإقناع – ط وزارة العدل
[البهوتي] ج 2: ص: 194النجاسة الرطبة لا تطهر إلا عند إزالة عينها
سورة المائدة، 5:15 “قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ
سورة الأنعام، 6:91تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا
التحفة الملوكية، ج1، ص253النجاسة الرطبة لا تطهر إلا عند إزالة عينها
أصول الإيمان في ضوء الكتاب والسنة، ص
140التوراة التي أنزلها عليهم يحرفونها يجعلون الحلال فيها حراما والحرام فيها حلالا والحق فيها باطلا والباطل فيها حقا
