Slaughtering by the People of the Book

“Once abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the slaughtering of the taxpayers (who are non-Muslims). He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not use it for food even if he has mentioned the name of Allah or not.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that we often meet a people from the mountains, the distance between us is quite far to the mountains by many Farsakh (a certain unit of measurement for distance). We buy one, two or three flocks and every flock numbers one thousand five hundred, one thousand six hundred or one thousand seven hundred sheep. Then two or three sheep are cut (killed) and we ask the shepherd about their religion. They say that they are Christians. What do you say about the slaughtering by Jews and Christians? He (the Imam) said, ‘O al-Husayn, ‘Slaughtering is by name and no one can be trusted in this matter except people who believe in the Oneness of Allah.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Al-Husayn ibn al-Mundhir has narrated from you that you have said, “Slaughtering is by name and you cannot trust for it in (slaughtering) except the people of the name.’” He (the Imam) said, ‘They have invented in it something that I do not like.’ Hanan has said, ‘I asked a Christian about what they say when slaughtering.’ He said, ‘We say, “In the name of al-Masih.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), if animal slaughtered by the Christian Arabs can be used for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), would prohibit using what they slaughtered for food, as well as their hunting and marriage with them.’”

“I once asked abu Ibrahim (a.s.), about the animals slaughtered by the Jews and Christians. He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not go close to such slaughtered animals.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘We go to the mountains and send the shepherds to look after the sheep. Perhaps a sheep becomes injured and they slaughter it; if we can use it for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a matter of proper slaughtering, thus, no one can be trusted in it except a Muslim.’”

“At one time I travelled with al-Mu‘alla’ ibn Khunays and ibn abu Ya’fur. One of them used the flesh of the animal slaughtered by Jews and Christians and the other abstained. They both went to visit abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and informed him of their story. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Which one of you abstained?’ He (one of them) said, ‘I abstained.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You have done the right thing.’”

“Once a man said to ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, we have a neighbor who is a butcher and he brings Jews who slaughter for him so that Jews can buy from him.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not use for food what he sells and do not buy from him.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is a matter of the name (mentioning the name of Allah), thus, no one can be trusted in it except a Muslim.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was with him (the Imam) and said, ‘Sheep are sent to Jews and Christian for maintenance and something happens and it is slaughtered; if I can use it for food. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not mix the price you receive for it with your other assets and do not use it for food. It is a matter of name (mentioning the name of Allah) and no one can be trusted in it except a Muslim.’ A man then said, ‘Allah, most High, says, ‘Today We have made the good things lawful for you and the food of the people of the book is lawful for you.’ (5:5) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said to him, ‘My father (a.s.), would say that it is about grains and similar things.’”

Do not use for food what is slaughtered by Jews and Christians and do not eat in their utensils.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the animals slaughtered by Jews and Christians. He (the Imam) said, ‘Slaughtering is a matter of name (mentioning the name of Allah); no one can be trusted in it except a Muslim.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not use for food the animals they slaughter, do not eat in their utensils, meaning thereby people of the book.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the animals slaughtered by the people of the book. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful if they mention the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, and I mean those of them who are on the command of Moses and Jesus.’”

“Once my father and I visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and said, ‘We pray to Allah to keep our souls in service for your cause, we have Christian associates and they slaughter for us chickens and goats; if we can eat thereof. He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not eat and do not get close to it; what they say on it is something because of which I do not like if you to eat thereof.’ He (the narrator) has said, when we arrived in al-Kufah certain ones of them invited us and we declined their invitation. He asked about the reason saying, ‘You were coming to us and now you have refused.’ We replied, ‘Our scholar (a.s.), prohibited and he thinks that you say something on what you slaughter because of which he does not like that we eat thereof.’ He then asked, ‘Who is your scholar? He by Allah, is the most knowledgeable of all people and more knowledgeable than what Allah has created. He has spoken the truth by Allah. We say, ‘In the name of al-Masih (a.s.).’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the animals the people of the book slaughter. He (the Imam) said, ‘By Allah they do not eat what you slaughter; then how can you consider what they slaughter as lawful? It is a matter of name (mentioning the name of Allah), and no one can be trusted in it except a Muslim.’”

“I once saw a man with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who asked, ‘I have a brother in the mountains who exchanges things for other things. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Is it because of mutual agreement?’ he replied, ‘Yes, that is true.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It then is not unlawful.’ He then said, ‘He may have an agent who is a Jew or Christians who comes across something that sells slaughtered and brings its price, or salt it then brings it salted.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He must not eat it. It is a matter of name (mentioning the name of Allah) in which no one can be trusted except a Muslim.’ A certain person present said, ‘What about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “. . . the food of the people of the book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘My father (a.s.), would say that it is grains and similar things.’”