Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

the prasad-food is not te be collected but if someone offers it you may take it or not. What is your reason that prasad food not allowed to be eaten?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Why one cannot eat prasad?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your question: What is your reason that prasad food not allowed to be eaten?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 115: He (Allah) has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits then Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

The ‘prasad’ is typically a sweet or food that is dedicated to the Hindu gods or idols, and is distributed in the name of their gods; thus this ‘prasad’ is absolutely forbidden for the believers to consume.

Your question: the prasad-food is not to be collected but if someone offers it you may take it or not.

The believers, who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day, should obviously abstain from collecting the haraam prasad food. And if one is in a situation, where one is offered the prasad and is unable to reject its offer, he should, under no circumstances, consume that food.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan