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:

One of my friend wanted an information on whether we can eat prasad ( food kept in front of false deities during worship)  knowingly or unknowingly.

As an example, if someone goes to a Restaurant owned by a non-muslim one can be unknowingly presented something which might be offered to a false deity (prasad).

Can you please  clarified in the light of Quran and Sunnah? JazakAllah.

(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:

Eating of Prasad offerrings

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 none 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: One of my friend wanted an information on whether we can eat prasad ( foodkept in front of false deities during worship)  knowingly or unknowingly.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 3:

3 Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead (flesh of animals not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that (food) on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 2 Surah Baqarah verse 173:

173 He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that (food) on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah; but if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 145:

145 Say: "I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (food) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine for it is an abomination, or what is impious (food) on which a name has been invoked other than Allah's." But (even so) if a person is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Any food, regardless of whether it be meat or non-meat, which is dedicated to anyone or anything other than Allah Subhanah, or any food upon which a name of anyone other than Allah Subhanah is invoked would be absolutely unlawful and ‘haraam’ for the believers to consume.

The ‘prasad’ is a food offering dedicated by our Hindu brethren unto their deities; thus the eating or drinking of any type of such ‘prasad’ offerings would be absolutely unlawful for the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day.

If a believer had absolutely no intention to disobey or transgress the prescribed Boundaries of his Lord, and unknowingly and unintentionally happened to eat from the ‘prasad’ offerings, it is expected that he will find forgiveness from the merciful lord.

Your Question: As an example, if someone goes to a Restaurant owned by a non-muslim one can be unknowingly presented something which might be offered to a false deity (prasad).

If one has a doubt or a fear that the food that is being presented to him in a restaurant might be a ‘prasad’ offering, one should abstain from eating the food until one has clarified one’s doubt with the waiter or the manager of the restaurant. If it is confirmed that the food is indeed from the offerings of ‘prasad’, it would only be piety and righteousness on the part of the believer to abstain from consuming even a morsel of it.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan