Current Legal Issues
- (Q.28) If it was known that cheeses imported from non-Muslim
countries contain animal rennet (calf or goat) or animal enzyme, is
it permissible to consume?
- There is no harm in consuming the first two categories; and the
third too, unless it is known that it was taken from an
unslaughtered animal. Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.29) Some imported soap contains lard. Eventually, only 5%
[of the lard] remains in it. Can the rule of Istihalah
(transformation) be applied here, so that it could be considered tahir
(ceremonially clean), or does it remain najis?
- It remains najis. Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.30) Is jelly, that is manufactured from cow bones not
slaughtered according to Islamic law, tahir for external use?
- Yes, because bone is not amongst parts of the body that have life
in them. So, it is tahir even when it belongs to a dead
carcass. Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.31) To fatten them up before sale, some chicken are fed a
mixture that contains 30% of pig bones. What is the ruling in this
respect? Is there any ishkal?
- There is no objection to eating such chicken meat. For it becomes tahir
when it is slaughtered [according to Islamic shari'a ]. It is
preferable, though, to avoid the birds eating such feed. Allah is
All Knowing.
- (Q.32) Muslims in Europe buy [and wear] shoes, belts and other
garments that are made of leather. It is possible that the hide used
in manufacturing such goods come from unslaughtered animals; the
other possibility is that it could have been imported from Islamic
countries, or it could belong to animals that were Islamically
slaughtered here, in Britain for example. Do we consider such
leather products tahir on the assumption that they could have
been imported from Islamic countries or slaughtered here by Muslims,
though such possibility is somewhat remote?
- If the possibility is so slim, constituting 2% for example, that
certainty is derived from the opposite, it must not be relied on.
Otherwise, there is no objection to assuming that it is tahir.
Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.33) Is eating carp, prawns, and shell fish permissible?
- No marine animal is halal, except fish that has scales, amongst
which are prawns. As for other animals, other than fish, like carp
as well as other kinds of fish that have no scales, it is not
permissible to consume.
- (Q.34) Importation of Beetle-Nuts (Sopari) is banned in Canada.
If a person brings in beetle-nut from another country and hides it
from customs, is it halal or haraam? One thing is to
be considered; it is that customs officials usually ask: Do you have
anything to declare? However, if lying is involved, is it
permissible to eat, knowing that they are illegal to bring into
Canada?
- It is not haraam to eat.
- (Q.35) Does the sun, as a purifying agent, render tiles, marble
and other similar building material tahir?
- Yes, provided adherence to conditions of purifying [najis
objects] is observed. Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.36) What is the ruling on the blood trapped under the nail,
which is difficult to remove. Is it najis or tahir? If
it was najis how should one go about it?
- If it is not transformed, it is najis and should be
removed, provided this does not entail any danger (haraj). If
it remains, tayamum instead of wudhu and ghusl
must be applied. Allah is All Knowing.
- (Q.37) A person performed an obligatory ghusl. After a
few hours, he noticed an object that [apparently] constituted a
barrier [to water reaching the area of the skin] on his left finger
or foot. Should such a person re-wash the entire left part of the
body? Or is it sufficient to wash that particular area only, with
the niyyah of ghusl?
- Washing the affected area should do. By way of ihtyat luzumi,
however, you do wudhu, in case one breaks one's wudhu
during the intervening period.
- (Q.38) Is it permissible to backbite an opposing Muslim?
- It is preferable not to do so.
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