Ruling on a bull released in the name of idols

Question

Question: A Hindu released a bull in the name of idols, and after several years had passed the owner summoned a Brahmin, handed the bull over to him and made him its owner; the Brahmin sold it to a Muslim, and the Muslim slaughtered it in the manner prescribed by the Shari‘a. Now what we wish to know is: is it permissible to eat its meat after it has been slaughtered or not?

Answer

Most exegetes (mufassirun) have interpreted the words “that over which a name other than Allah’s has been invoked” (مَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ) as follows: [ar]ذبح للأصنام فذكر عليه غير اسم الله[/ar] “That which was slaughtered for the idols and over which a name other than Allah’s was mentioned” (al-Madarik).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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