Jews are marketing the Dead Sea and the salt from it.

Questions:

Assalaamu Alaikum.

I understand that we should not visit the places where Allah swt has destroyed a people, such as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Dead Sea, the location of the Thamud people etc. Am I correct with this?

I recently discovered that Jews are marketing the Dead Sea and the salt from it. I know for a fact that the salt is used for cosmetic purposes in spa, massage etc. However I don’t know if it is out there as salt for consumption. Either way I think it to be wrong. Can you expand and advise on this?

Jazaak Allah.

Answers:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

The Prophet (SAS) said, ‘You should not visit the punished people (and where their cities were destroyed) except that you go there weeping’(Bukhari). This means that one should not intend to go to those places for sight seeing purposes. If one happens to go to any such place, then it should be for the sake of learning lessons.

With respect to the salt being used from the Dead Sea for consumption, then it will be allowed if it has been okayed by health authorities for this purpose.

And Allah knows best,
Mufti Waseem Khan

21/2/2013