Q:  Assalmalaikum Imaam
These days I really don’t know what I can and cannot eat. It seems like there is “unknown” ingredients in most foods. What do you suggest that I do to keep myself pure by eating halaal pure foods. I have stopped eating out as much to restaurants but I have started to notice this is how it is with day to day foods at the grocery store like bread. My family however doesn’t understand that certain foods can be haram even though they contain no meat, thus they think it is too extreme to cut essential foods out.
Also I am confused at what to do at gatherings that take place at a muslim house or even a masjid. Should I deny thefood because it may contain “unknown” ingredients since I do not know exactly where the provider shopped from?

Time: Tuesday October 18, 2011 at 10:46 pm

A: Wa Alaikum Salam

It appears that you are attempting to be cautious in that which you consume. The Quran instructs us to be cautious and eat only that which we are aware of and that which is ‘pure.’ For that which we eat is sure to affect our faith (imaan.)

If a pious muslim/ah tells you that a given food is halal, there would be no problem in consuming such foods. By contrast, if you have a valid conviction that a given food may not be halal, merely abstain from its consumption. Allah (SWT) has blessed us with much food, we generally insist on certain foods due to a mere ‘desire’ and not ‘necessity.’

As for your family is concerned, your duty is to furnish proof to them regarding the impermissible nature of a given food. Should this be difficult for you to do while they are convinced that it is halal, then in such a case you could abstain based on your ‘habit’ of not wanting to eat certain foods or based on your legitimate doubt.  Your should not impose this upon others.

We are of the opinion that ‘unknown’ ingredients should be abstained from.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.