Can Mistakenly Received Prasad Be Given to a Poor Non-Muslim or Must It Be Discarded?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Can prasad (food offering given to idols)mistakenly received be given to a poor non-Muslim, or must it be discarded?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
Yes, it can be given to a non-Muslim. If you discard it, ensure it goes to a food recycling facility.
If a religious ritual has been performed on specific foods, such as prasad in a Hindu temple, consuming these foods may not be permissible. This is part of avoiding the imitation of disbelievers in religious customs.
Nadhr lighayrillah نذر لغیرللہ -Vowed Offerings for Anyone Other than Allah
Allah Most High said, ‘He has only forbidden you to eat carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah…’ [Quran, 2:173]
We have a fourth situation that does not relate to animals but to things other than these. For instance, food or sweets that are offered against vows in the name of someone other than Allah by Hindus in their temples and by ignorant Muslims in shrines. This kind of nadhr نذر or mannat مَنَّت in the name of someone other than Allah has also been declared haram because of the commonness of cause, that is, because of the intention to seek the favor of one other than Allah and which comes under the same prohibition as contemplated in مَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّـہ as a result of which its eating, feeding, buying and selling all become haram.
[Shafi, Ma’rif al-Quran]
Muslims should interact with non-Muslims with respect, honesty, and peace. It is possible to decline any request that contradicts one’s beliefs without causing offense or hurt.
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha Allah, you will receive guidance and direction
– Can I Consume Food Gifted by Non-Muslims on Their Festivals?
– Can I Eat Easter Eggs?
– Imitating Non-Muslims
I pray this helps answer your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.