A Doubt Concerning the Food of the People of the Book

Question

Question: I have understood the meaning of this verse of the Noble Qur’an — that the food of the People of the Book is lawful for you — meaning that if the People of the Book feed you lawful food cooked with their own hands, or [meat from an animal] slaughtered by their own hands, then you should eat it, because [excessive] squeamishness is not proper. Had this verse not been in the Noble Qur’an, Muslims would have remained in doubt regarding the food of the People of the Book; this verse removed that doubt.

Answer

It is written in Tafsir Mazhari that things are of two kinds: some are lawful for everyone without any condition, such as the water of a river [or sea]; for others, certain conditions are required for their lawfulness — for instance, wudu is a condition for the lawfulness of prayer, faith (iman) is a condition for all acts of worship, and ownership (milk)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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