Slaughter of People of the Book

**Ruling:** The slaughtered meat of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) is **permissible** to eat. **Evidence:** Allah says: "And the food of those given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them" [Al-Ma'idah: 5]. **Meaning:** The slaughtered animals of the People of the Book - Jews and Christians - are halal for Muslims. Ibn Abbas said: "Their food means: their slaughtered animals." --- **Why it is permissible:** The slaughter of Jews and Christians is halal **by consensus of the Muslims** because: - They believe slaughtering for other than Allah is forbidden - They believe carrion (unslaughtered meat) is forbidden --- **Whose slaughter is NOT permissible:** Unlike the People of the Book, the following groups' slaughter is **not halal**: - Idol worshippers - Heretics (zanaadiqah) - Apostates (murtadeen) - Zoroastrians (majoos) - Polytheists committing major shirk - like grave worshippers and shrine devotees This is because they do not share the same beliefs about slaughter that make the Kitabi's meat permissible.