If someone (a Muslim) is giving food, not sure about the authentic source of meat:
- What should we do?
- Can we give the food to non-Muslim neighbors?
- How to avoid such conditions?
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
It is from good akhlaq not to reject any food that is offered to you. Hence, if some Muslim brother gives you food, then despite not being completely content about it, out of respect accept the food.
As a precursor one must have a rapport in one’s community about how strict one is in regards to Halal foods. For example, in my close company most people ask me before giving food if I am comfortable with such and such. People want to honor others by giving them food, so if they are aware of dietary preferences from before hand they will be extra cautious not to offend you.
Keep in mind that once you are reasonably certain that the particular individual knows about your strict diet nature, and still gifts you home cooked food, then husn al dhan demands that he has gone out of the way to make that food as pure, halal and wholesome for you as he can.
However, knowing the individual, for some even that reasonable certainty may not be achieved, or perhaps one knows that he has not cooked the food at home rather bought from some store, then the husn al dhan cannot be afforded and one should apply one’s cautionary discretion.
Nonetheless, high regard for other’s dietary needs cannot be expected from everyone and many times one could receive food that one does not consume. In such cases, once the food has been acquired, you may find appropriate venue to dispose off this food. Many homeless places are known in the city.
The proper way of disposal of the food is to place in open, yet clean place for anyone passing by to pick it up. You may also place a card saying “Free Food” or “Please take”.
Note that it is not islamically correct to hand over such questionable food to someone else. Just as it is not suitable to consume the food itself, it is equally not appropriate to “feed” it. However, if it is disposed off as mentioned above, and someone picks it up on their own accord, that the action of picking is attributed to them.
Another way for disposal is to place it by some place where animals or birds will consume it. Again, avoid feeding the food and instead dispose it by placing it in a reasonable place where it will be consumed.
If that is also not possible then, since it is biodegradable, you may respectfully use it for composting and dispose it in that manner.
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi