Fatwaa ID: 1664
Question:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ
I have a deli near me that sells sandwiches and they say they are halal but have no certificate or anything. Is it permissible in this case to buy and eat their sandwiches?
Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
It is of utmost importance that one strictly eats food that is halaal without any doubt. A person is affected by what he eats. Eating haraam or doubtful food compromises the acceptance of one’s worship and du’aa. There is fear that the body that was nourished with haraam will not initially enter Jannah.
It is a known fact that most delis in NYC do not serve halaal, even if they claim to. This is either carelessly, negligently or ignorantly. Many will ignorantly say “everything but pork and alcohol is halaal” or “just say bismillaah before you eat”, while others simply do not care and their purpose is to just make money. For those that do claim to care, they often suffice on a halal sign without further verification when purchasing things. Unfortunately, this is even the case with many who are outwardly practicing or religious. Accordingly, it is not permissible to buy or eat from such delis and places unless further verification is found from reliable sources. If a halaal certification is displayed, then one must ensure that it is from a reputable and reliable board.
One may say that a Muslim should be trusted in his claim that his food is halaal. That is the default of a Muslim. However, as most Muslims are either careless in this regard or uninformed of the reality, the default changes. Thus, it is not sufficient in most cases to rely on a person’s claim simply based on him being a Muslim. The same goes for relying on halaal signs. One must exercise great caution and stay away from anything that will jeopardize our ‘ibaadah and du’aa.
We encourage the general public to reach out to the local Muslim delis and restaurants and advise them to get certified by reputable organizations. That is your right. You deserve to know and be content that what you are eating is legitimately halaal. This is not just about meat but all ingredients including cheese, sauce, bread, etc. Transparency is a must in such issues. When the customers raise awareness and demand, the establishment owners will comply.
And Allaah Ta’aala knows best.
Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury
Darul Iftaa New York
https://askthemufti.us/
02/04/1445 AH – 08/21/2023 CE | AMG3-4065
وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين
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