Is Kosher Meat Halaal For Consumption?
QUESTION:
As Salaamu Alaikum.
I hope that this reaches you in the best of health in sha Allah. I have a question is it okay to consume meat that is kosher? As a Muslim I believe that I should only eat halal because this is prescribed for me but my cousin argued with me telling me that in the Quran Allah command us to have kosher. Please help. Thank you and may Allah reward you for your efforts.
ANSWER:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam
With respect to the issue of ‘Kosher’ meat, the majority of scholars have stated that it is not halaal for Muslims to consume.
Based on investigations which were done by many leading scholars, it was revealed that the Jewish slaughterer would say the name of God on the first animal and on the last animal. They would not say it on every animal, which is a law in Islam. This, according to the Jews, is in accordance to their laws. For example, if they are slaughtering ten animals, they would say prayers on the first one and on the tenth one, and would say nothing on all the other animals between.
If a Muslim cannot access halaal meat, then one can consume fish or vegetables or even go to the ‘slaughter house’ to slaughter an animal himself or may do it personally at his home.
With respect to the conditions which must be fulfilled, it is necessary that the same conditions highlighted by the Islamic law be met in order that the kosher meat be consumed by Muslims.
These conditions are:
1) The name of Allah must be recited on every animal when it is being slaughtered
2) Under normal circumstances, it is necessary to make the blood flow by cutting the required vessels
3) The slaughterer must be a Muslim or from the people of the Book in the true sense of the term, who follows the guidelines given to them in their scriptures regarding slaughtering, which are identical to the Islamic law.
And Allah Knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan
25/04/2019