Food in Japan for Muslims

10-9-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

I'm a new Muslim who lives in Japan. I'm Japanese. Can you please tell me what is the lawful and unlawful of food? I mean what kind of food is lawful and what kinds is unlawful, in detail, please?

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. Giving all details about permissible and forbidden kinds of food in this Fatwa is not possible. However, we mention here some brief information, for more details you may refer to the Fiqh books. The basic rule in this concern is that any kind of food or drink is permissible except what is forbidden in Shariah. The Shariah prohibits wine and every drink that causes drunkenness. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, AlAnsâb, and AlAzlâm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitân's (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination)…}[5:90]. Some other foods that are mentioned in the following verse are also forbidden. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I find not in that which has been inspired to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytatah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork, etc.) for that surely is impure, or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh (or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., or on which Allâh's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)….}[6:145]. - Know that two types of animals that die a natural death are permissible; they are fish and locust. - Eating beast of prey that has a canine tooth, and every bird that has claws is forbidden. Imam Muslim narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) forbade to eat every beast of prey that has a canine tooth and every bird that has a claw . [ Muslim and others]. - Bad obnoxious foods, meats, etc. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabâ'ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.),…}[7:157]. - Everything that is harmful. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: There should be no harm, nor reciprocal harming . [ Ibn Majah ]. - The meat slaughtered by polytheist and Kuffars except what is slaughtered by the People of the Book provided they fulfill the condition of slaughtering. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {…The food (slaughtered cattle, eatable animals, etc.) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you…}[5:5]. - All kinds of impurities, because Islam always insists on the purity and cleanness. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And your garments purify!}[74:4]. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: Purity is half of the faith . [ Muslim ] For more details, please refer to the Fiqh books. Finally, we advise the brother to be in contact with the Islamic centers in his area. Allah knows best.