Q. "We in north America buy our food stuff, including meat,
from a Muslim's store. He tells us that the meat is duly slaught- ered
by a Muslim according to Shariah, but we do not know whether he is correct
in his statement or not. Some people become suspicious about his statement
or not. Some people become suspicious about his statement on the ground
that they themselves have not seen the animal being slaughtered and the
possibility cannot be ruled out that the seller is claim- ing the meat
to be halal only to attract the customers who strictly follow Shariah.
What should be a Muslim's attitude in this case?"
(Yusuf Ghani, New York)
A. If a Muslim informs you about a particular meat that it is slaughtered
by a Muslim in complete conformity with the Islamic injunctions, and there
is no apparent reason to disbelieve him, you trust his statement and take
the meat as halal. On should not indulge in baseless suspicions about
a Muslim's statement. We have been directed to presume a Muslim's stat-
ement as true unless the contrary is proved.
However, it one suspects his statement on reasonable grounds, for example,
he has himself seen him purchasing the meat from a non-Muslim dealer who
deals in haram meat, or he has found him too careless in these matters
to be relied upon, then he should not rely on his statement except after
enquiry, and the meat of his store should not be purchased or used unless
one is fully satisfied that it is halal.
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