Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Permissibility of food of the people of the book
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
May His blessings and peace be on His Beloved Prophet, the best of creation, and his family, companions, and followers
Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah,
It is permitted to eat the food of non-Muslims. However, one must avoid their meat unless it has been properly slaughtered. [Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni; Shaykh Zada, Majma` al-Anhur]
Allah Most High said in the Qur’an, “The food of the people of the book has been made lawful for you.” Imam Bukhari relates from Ibn Abbas that [with regards to meat] this refers to that which has been ritually slaughtered. Numerous primary texts support this.
It is established that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) accepted the invitation of a Jewish man and ate his food. [Ahmad, and others]
At the same time, it is more precautious to avoid their food when there is no related benefit in partaking of it, because of the possibility that there be some impermissible ingredient or filth: such doubts do not lift the default assumption of permissibility, but do make exercising precautions recommended. [Ibn Abidin in al-`Uqud al-Durriyya fi Tanqih al-Fatawa al-Hamidiyya, 2.212 quoting Fatawa al-Tumurtashi]
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani
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