5 Must Read Powerful Points Why Kosher Food Is Halal
15/05/2020
The term Kosher is familiar with many Muslims due to the media attention
Jewish and Islamic dietary food products get. Kosher is a Jewish dietary law based on the teachings of the Torah and it is not haram to eat kosher for a Muslim. Before giving the five points on why kosher is halal let me give an explanation on what kosher is so that the reader can get a better understanding on this subject.
What is Exactly Kosher?
Kosher are foods that conform to strict Jewish dietary laws and regulations. The word kosher is taken from the Hebrew word "kasher" literally meaning fit which is interpreted as food that is fit for consumption. The following verses in the Torah mention what to be eaten or not.
"Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you"
(Leviticus 11:3–11:4)
"Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof cleft in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cleft you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you"
(Deuteronomy 14:6–14:7)
From these verses it is clear that only land animals which chew cud and have cloven hooves are allowed. Hares, rock badgers and camels are forbidden because they do not have divided hooves although they chew cud.
"The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses"
(Deuteronomy 14:8)
"Who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat"
(Isaiah 65:4)
These verses in the bible forbid the eating of pork.
The following verses in the bible say the following on eating fish.
“‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean."
(Leviticus 11:9-10)
The following verses in the bible details the kind of birds forbidden to be eaten.
"And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat."
(Leviticus 11:13-19)
"You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat."
(Deuteronomy 14:11-18)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat.
" And the fat of that which diet of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat of it.
For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men present an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people."
(Leviticus 7:23-27)
"And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten."
(Deuteronomy 14:19)
"All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you"
(Leviticus 11:20)
"Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind"
(Leviticus 11:22)
Blood is also prohibited.
"The blood, however, you must not eat; you shall pour it out on the ground like water."
(Deuteronomy 12:16)
"It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood"
(Leviticus 3:17)
These are the general prohibitions in the Torah. Let us take a look at the five points why kosher food or meat is halal for a Muslim.
1. The Food of the Jews and the Christians is Halal
The meat sacrificed by Jews and Christians is halal and in the Quran, Allah (swt) says,
"This day (all) the good things are allowed to you; and the food of those who have been given the Book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them; and the chaste from among the believing women and the chaste from among those who have been given the Book before you (are lawful for you); when you have given them their dowries, taking (them) in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them for paramours in secret; and whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers. "
(Al-Quran-5:5)
The above verses in the Quran clearly allows the eating of meat or food of the Jews or Christians and this is a clear point to prove that kosher is halal. The meat of Jews and Christians can be eaten even though they don't mention the name of Allah (swt). This is a concession granted by Allah (swt) to the Muslims and this should not be questioned. It is unfortunate that some Muslims due to their utter foolishness and ignorance even question food prepared by the Jews and some have become utter lunatics by boycotting Jewish products. The boycotting of Jewish food products and other goods produced by the Jews was put forward by the deviant Yusuf al Qardawi who' s aqeada is a clear Ikhwani, Ashari ideology and his views are filled with bidah , shirk and kufr.
2. The Jews Do Not Eat Pork
Jews unlike Christians do not consume pork and this is one of the reasons why kosher is clearly halal. The Torah mentions the following with regards to eating pork.
"The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses"
(Deuteronomy 14:8)
"Who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat"
(Isaiah 65:4)
The Quran too forbids pork.
“He has forbidden you only dead animals, and blood, and the swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than God.”
(Al Quran 2:173)
"Forbidden for you for food are carrion, blood, flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than God, and animals killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-5:3)
"I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-6:145)
"He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit] - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-16:115)
Eating pork if not cooked properly can cause Trichinosis. The contaminated pork is infected with the larvae of a worm called Trichinella spiralis. Some other diseases caused by eating pork are pig worms and pig bell. Eating pork is associated with the increase of various other diseases as well.
An article published by healthline dated
October 4, 2017 mentioned the following,
"The number of disease outbreaks linked to food in the United States has decreased overall in recent years.
But the percentage of those attributed to pork has risen.
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that from the period of 1998 to 2015, 288 outbreaks were linked to pork.
The frequency of outbreaks due to pork decreased by 37 percent during this time period, which was in line with a total decline of foodborne outbreaks.
However, in 2015 the number of pork-related outbreaks increased by 73 percent compared with the previous three years.
And it’s not just because we’re eating more bacon.
“Estimates of pork consumption show a slight increase in 2015, but not to the extent that pork-associated outbreaks increased. CDC and partners are monitoring outbreak reports to determine if this was an unusual year or the beginning of a new trend,” Julie Self, PhD, who works in the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, told Healthline.
What the numbers reveal
The 288 outbreaks attributed to pork between 1998 and 2015 resulted in 6,372 illnesses, 443 hospitalizations, and four deaths. Salmonella was found to be the most common pathogen linked to pork outbreaks."
((Healthline-Link-https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-are-disease-outbreaks-from-pork-products-on-the-rise#3)
Both Jews and Muslims do not eat pork and this is a big validation to eat kosher meat and food.
3. Sacrificing by the Jews and The Christians Should be Overlooked.
There is a common misconception among some Muslims that the animal sacrificed by Jews and Christians is only halal if they sacrifice by mentioning Allah's name. This is a baseless argument and what is mentioned in the Quran is that food prepared by the people of the book who are the Jews and the Christians is halal and there is no mention of mentioning Allah's name as a prerequisite. Allah (swt) says,
"This day (all) the good things are allowed to you; and the food of those who have been given the Book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them; and the chaste from among the believing women and the chaste from among those who have been given the Book before you (are lawful for you); when you have given them their dowries, taking (them) in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them for paramours in secret; and whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers. "
(Al-Quran-5:5)
Any food prepared by the Jews or the Christians is halal and mentioning Allah's name is a baseless argument. The Jewish way of slaughtering is called as shechita where the wind pipe and the food pipe is severed with a sharp knife varying in sizes according to the size of the animal that is sacrificed. All foods in the foods permitted in kosher is also permitted is Islam.
4. Doubtful Food Items Are Clearly Halal
When in a restaurant or in a gathering where food is served, many of you would have come across muslims avoiding eating foods which are doubtful and the argument for this is that doubtful food items should be avoided. If you ask them in which hadith is this mentioned they will quote a hadith which is unrelated to this. The hadith is as follows,
Nu’man ibn Basheer (rali) narrated,
" I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear and between the two of them are doubtful [or ambiguous] matters about which not many people are knowledgeable. Thus, he who avoids these doubtful matters certainly clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour. But he who falls into the doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily every king has a sanctuary and Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibition. In the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all the body is sound and which, if it be diseased, all the body is diseased. This part of the body is the heart”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith has been misunderstood. This hadith talks about the action of being doubtful due to the person not understanding the ruling properly, therefore the deficiency is not in the ruling itself or in what is doubtful in general, but in the understanding of that individual. This applies to an issue of fiqh and not in the issue of eating food because the following two hadiths mention clearly that you can eat doubtful food by simply saying Allah's name over it.
Narrated `Aisha (rali),
Some people said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Meat is brought to us by some people and we are not sure whether the name of Allah has been mentioned on it or not (at the time of slaughtering the animals)." Allah's Messenger (sal) said (to them), "Mention the name of Allah and eat it."
(Bukhari)
This is a beautiful hadith where the prophet (sal) told the companions who asked him about meat that was brought to them and they were not sure whether Allah's name was mentioned and the prophet (sal) told them to mention Allah's name and eat it. For something to be haram it needs clear proof and mere assumption or doubt will not make something haram. The next evidence is as follows,
Abu Bakr (rali) told us: Jareer told us, from Mughirah, from Abu Waa’il and Ibrahim, who said: When the Muslims came, they got some food from the Magians, their cheese and bread, and they ate and did not ask about that. The cheese was described to ‘Umar (rali) and he said: Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.
(Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah-5/130 and Imam ibn Hibban graded it as an authentic hadith because the narrators are of Bukhari and Muslim)
The above hadith of the rightly guided caliphs proves clearly that the sahabah did not question food given to them even if they happened to be non-muslims. The Magians were idol worshippers and could have used haram ingredients in preparing food but the general principle is to eat the food given by anyone including Jews by simply mentioning Allah's name and there is no need for making a fuss over it. Some Muslims nowadays make a huge fuss going after halal and make their lives very problematic and filled with hardships. The prophet (sal) and his companions never issued halal certificates for food items like nowadays and the way of the prophet (sal) and his companions was practical and easy to follow. Nowadays the halal certification is made more as a business venture and this form of halal certification we see in various countries has no basis in the Quran or the authentic hadiths. There can be kosher food items that could contain wine and if you are doubtful the eat it by mentioning Allah's name.
5. Foods Containing Alcohol is Halal in Islam
Among the main difference between kosher from halal foods is certain alcoholic drinks are allowed to be consumed. The Torah says the following with regards to taking wine.
"And the vine said to them, 'Should I leave my wine, which causes God and men to rejoice, and go to wave over the trees? "
(Judges 9:13)
"And wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart."
(Psalm 104:15)
Due to this reason, some Muslims argue that some kinds of kosher foods have to be avoided. What needs to be understood is that if there is doubt then you can simply mention Allah's name and eat or drink it without questioning it.
Narrated `Aisha (rali),
Some people said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Meat is brought to us by some people and we are not sure whether the name of Allah has been mentioned on it or not (at the time of slaughtering the animals)." Allah's Messenger (sal) said (to them), "Mention the name of Allah and eat it."
(Bukhari)
Abu Bakr (rali) told us: Jareer told us, from Mughirah, from Abu Waa’il and Ibrahim, who said: When the Muslims came, they got some food from the Magians, their cheese and bread, and they ate and did not ask about that. The cheese was described to ‘Umar (rali) and he said: Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.
(Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah-5/130 and Imam ibn Hibban graded it as an authentic hadith because the narrators are of Bukhari and Muslim)
Another important fact that needs to be understood is that in Islam alcohol is not haram. Only intoxicants are haram.
Aisha (rali) said,
that Allah's Messenger (sal) was asked about it, whereupon he said that everything that causes intoxication is forbidden
(Muslim)
Ibn Umar (rali) narrated, the prophet (sal) said,
"Every intoxicant is Khamr, and every intoxicant is prohibited."
(Muslim)
Alcoholic drinks are not haram. What is haram in Islam the the consumption of intoxicants. Anything that intoxicates is what is haram and not alcohol. Kosher foods containing alcohol in not at all haram. Fruits such as bananas, oranges, grapes and many others contain alcohol. If alcohol is haram then all of these fruits would have been made haram. Let us take vinegar which is used as a seasoning and a condiment. Vinegar contains alcohol and even the prophet (sal) ate vinegar.
Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) reported that Allah's Apostle (sal) asked his family for condiment. They (the members of his household) said:
"We have nothing with us but vinegar. He asked for it, he began to eat it, and then said: Vinegar is a good condiment, vinegar is a good condiment."
(Muslim)
Vinegar is made out if ethanol alcohol and if alcohol was haram then the prophet (sal) wouldn't have eaten or said well about vinegar. What is haram is what intoxicates your mind and if you are sure that a particular kosher food item contains wine or any other intoxicant then leave it ut if you are doubtful then say Allah's name over it and eat it.
Conclusion
Islam unlike other religions does not forbid something without facilitating ease for it. Kosher is similar to the Islamic dietary laws and although there are fundamental differences between the two dietary laws eating from the food of the people of the book be it sacrificed animals or any other food is halal. Kosher is far stricter than the Islamic dietary laws but what needs to be understood is that a Muslim can eat kosher food and fussing or boycotting is against the teachings of Islam and doing so will only bring more hardships to the individual and nothing else. Overburdening oneself on being choosy on food is extremism that Islam has forbidden.
Abu Hurayrah (rali) narrated,
“Religion is easy, and no one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be unable to continue in that way. So do not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded. Gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and afternoons and during the last hours of the night.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Mihjan ibn al-Adra (rali),
" I came with the Prophet (sal), and when we were at the door of the mosque, we saw a man who was praying. He said: “Do you think he is sincere?” I said: “O Prophet of Allah, this is So and so, he is one of the best of the people of Madeenah, or one of those who pray the most of the people of Madina.” He said: “Don't let him hear you lest you be doomed” – two or three times – “you are an ummah for whom I want ease.”
(Musnad Ahmad-5/32-and graded sahih by Imam Ahmed, Imam Tabarani in Al Mu’jam Kabir, Hadith-707 and Imam Haythami in Majmu uz Zawaid-Vol-4 page- 15)
May Allah Azza wa jal take away the harshness and extremism from the Muslim ummah and make the Muslims be easy going and merciful when practicing and preaching Islam towards themselves and the others.
C.J Ahmed
The term Kosher is familiar with many Muslims due to the media attention
Jewish and Islamic dietary food products get. Kosher is a Jewish dietary law based on the teachings of the Torah and it is not haram to eat kosher for a Muslim. Before giving the five points on why kosher is halal let me give an explanation on what kosher is so that the reader can get a better understanding on this subject.
What is Exactly Kosher?
Kosher are foods that conform to strict Jewish dietary laws and regulations. The word kosher is taken from the Hebrew word "kasher" literally meaning fit which is interpreted as food that is fit for consumption. The following verses in the Torah mention what to be eaten or not.
"Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you"
(Leviticus 11:3–11:4)
"Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof cleft in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cleft you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you"
(Deuteronomy 14:6–14:7)
From these verses it is clear that only land animals which chew cud and have cloven hooves are allowed. Hares, rock badgers and camels are forbidden because they do not have divided hooves although they chew cud.
"The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses"
(Deuteronomy 14:8)
"Who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat"
(Isaiah 65:4)
These verses in the bible forbid the eating of pork.
The following verses in the bible say the following on eating fish.
“‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean."
(Leviticus 11:9-10)
The following verses in the bible details the kind of birds forbidden to be eaten.
"And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey,
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Every raven after his kind; And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat."
(Leviticus 11:13-19)
"You may eat any clean bird. But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, any kind of raven, the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat."
(Deuteronomy 14:11-18)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep, or goat.
" And the fat of that which diet of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service; but ye shall in no wise eat of it.
For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men present an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
Whosoever it be that eateth any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people."
(Leviticus 7:23-27)
"And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten."
(Deuteronomy 14:19)
"All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you"
(Leviticus 11:20)
"Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind"
(Leviticus 11:22)
Blood is also prohibited.
"The blood, however, you must not eat; you shall pour it out on the ground like water."
(Deuteronomy 12:16)
"It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood"
(Leviticus 3:17)
These are the general prohibitions in the Torah. Let us take a look at the five points why kosher food or meat is halal for a Muslim.
1. The Food of the Jews and the Christians is Halal
The meat sacrificed by Jews and Christians is halal and in the Quran, Allah (swt) says,
"This day (all) the good things are allowed to you; and the food of those who have been given the Book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them; and the chaste from among the believing women and the chaste from among those who have been given the Book before you (are lawful for you); when you have given them their dowries, taking (them) in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them for paramours in secret; and whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers. "
(Al-Quran-5:5)
The above verses in the Quran clearly allows the eating of meat or food of the Jews or Christians and this is a clear point to prove that kosher is halal. The meat of Jews and Christians can be eaten even though they don't mention the name of Allah (swt). This is a concession granted by Allah (swt) to the Muslims and this should not be questioned. It is unfortunate that some Muslims due to their utter foolishness and ignorance even question food prepared by the Jews and some have become utter lunatics by boycotting Jewish products. The boycotting of Jewish food products and other goods produced by the Jews was put forward by the deviant Yusuf al Qardawi who' s aqeada is a clear Ikhwani, Ashari ideology and his views are filled with bidah , shirk and kufr.
2. The Jews Do Not Eat Pork
Jews unlike Christians do not consume pork and this is one of the reasons why kosher is clearly halal. The Torah mentions the following with regards to eating pork.
"The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses"
(Deuteronomy 14:8)
"Who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat"
(Isaiah 65:4)
The Quran too forbids pork.
“He has forbidden you only dead animals, and blood, and the swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than God.”
(Al Quran 2:173)
"Forbidden for you for food are carrion, blood, flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than God, and animals killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-5:3)
"I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah . But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-6:145)
"He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit] - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."
(Al Quran-16:115)
Eating pork if not cooked properly can cause Trichinosis. The contaminated pork is infected with the larvae of a worm called Trichinella spiralis. Some other diseases caused by eating pork are pig worms and pig bell. Eating pork is associated with the increase of various other diseases as well.
An article published by healthline dated
October 4, 2017 mentioned the following,
"The number of disease outbreaks linked to food in the United States has decreased overall in recent years.
But the percentage of those attributed to pork has risen.
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that from the period of 1998 to 2015, 288 outbreaks were linked to pork.
The frequency of outbreaks due to pork decreased by 37 percent during this time period, which was in line with a total decline of foodborne outbreaks.
However, in 2015 the number of pork-related outbreaks increased by 73 percent compared with the previous three years.
And it’s not just because we’re eating more bacon.
“Estimates of pork consumption show a slight increase in 2015, but not to the extent that pork-associated outbreaks increased. CDC and partners are monitoring outbreak reports to determine if this was an unusual year or the beginning of a new trend,” Julie Self, PhD, who works in the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, told Healthline.
What the numbers reveal
The 288 outbreaks attributed to pork between 1998 and 2015 resulted in 6,372 illnesses, 443 hospitalizations, and four deaths. Salmonella was found to be the most common pathogen linked to pork outbreaks."
((Healthline-Link-https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-are-disease-outbreaks-from-pork-products-on-the-rise#3)
Both Jews and Muslims do not eat pork and this is a big validation to eat kosher meat and food.
3. Sacrificing by the Jews and The Christians Should be Overlooked.
There is a common misconception among some Muslims that the animal sacrificed by Jews and Christians is only halal if they sacrifice by mentioning Allah's name. This is a baseless argument and what is mentioned in the Quran is that food prepared by the people of the book who are the Jews and the Christians is halal and there is no mention of mentioning Allah's name as a prerequisite. Allah (swt) says,
"This day (all) the good things are allowed to you; and the food of those who have been given the Book is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them; and the chaste from among the believing women and the chaste from among those who have been given the Book before you (are lawful for you); when you have given them their dowries, taking (them) in marriage, not fornicating nor taking them for paramours in secret; and whoever denies faith, his work indeed is of no account, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers. "
(Al-Quran-5:5)
Any food prepared by the Jews or the Christians is halal and mentioning Allah's name is a baseless argument. The Jewish way of slaughtering is called as shechita where the wind pipe and the food pipe is severed with a sharp knife varying in sizes according to the size of the animal that is sacrificed. All foods in the foods permitted in kosher is also permitted is Islam.
4. Doubtful Food Items Are Clearly Halal
When in a restaurant or in a gathering where food is served, many of you would have come across muslims avoiding eating foods which are doubtful and the argument for this is that doubtful food items should be avoided. If you ask them in which hadith is this mentioned they will quote a hadith which is unrelated to this. The hadith is as follows,
Nu’man ibn Basheer (rali) narrated,
" I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal) say: “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear and between the two of them are doubtful [or ambiguous] matters about which not many people are knowledgeable. Thus, he who avoids these doubtful matters certainly clears himself in regard to his religion and his honour. But he who falls into the doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily every king has a sanctuary and Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibition. In the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all the body is sound and which, if it be diseased, all the body is diseased. This part of the body is the heart”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith has been misunderstood. This hadith talks about the action of being doubtful due to the person not understanding the ruling properly, therefore the deficiency is not in the ruling itself or in what is doubtful in general, but in the understanding of that individual. This applies to an issue of fiqh and not in the issue of eating food because the following two hadiths mention clearly that you can eat doubtful food by simply saying Allah's name over it.
Narrated `Aisha (rali),
Some people said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Meat is brought to us by some people and we are not sure whether the name of Allah has been mentioned on it or not (at the time of slaughtering the animals)." Allah's Messenger (sal) said (to them), "Mention the name of Allah and eat it."
(Bukhari)
This is a beautiful hadith where the prophet (sal) told the companions who asked him about meat that was brought to them and they were not sure whether Allah's name was mentioned and the prophet (sal) told them to mention Allah's name and eat it. For something to be haram it needs clear proof and mere assumption or doubt will not make something haram. The next evidence is as follows,
Abu Bakr (rali) told us: Jareer told us, from Mughirah, from Abu Waa’il and Ibrahim, who said: When the Muslims came, they got some food from the Magians, their cheese and bread, and they ate and did not ask about that. The cheese was described to ‘Umar (rali) and he said: Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.
(Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah-5/130 and Imam ibn Hibban graded it as an authentic hadith because the narrators are of Bukhari and Muslim)
The above hadith of the rightly guided caliphs proves clearly that the sahabah did not question food given to them even if they happened to be non-muslims. The Magians were idol worshippers and could have used haram ingredients in preparing food but the general principle is to eat the food given by anyone including Jews by simply mentioning Allah's name and there is no need for making a fuss over it. Some Muslims nowadays make a huge fuss going after halal and make their lives very problematic and filled with hardships. The prophet (sal) and his companions never issued halal certificates for food items like nowadays and the way of the prophet (sal) and his companions was practical and easy to follow. Nowadays the halal certification is made more as a business venture and this form of halal certification we see in various countries has no basis in the Quran or the authentic hadiths. There can be kosher food items that could contain wine and if you are doubtful the eat it by mentioning Allah's name.
5. Foods Containing Alcohol is Halal in Islam
Among the main difference between kosher from halal foods is certain alcoholic drinks are allowed to be consumed. The Torah says the following with regards to taking wine.
"And the vine said to them, 'Should I leave my wine, which causes God and men to rejoice, and go to wave over the trees? "
(Judges 9:13)
"And wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart."
(Psalm 104:15)
Due to this reason, some Muslims argue that some kinds of kosher foods have to be avoided. What needs to be understood is that if there is doubt then you can simply mention Allah's name and eat or drink it without questioning it.
Narrated `Aisha (rali),
Some people said, "O Allah's Messenger (sal)! Meat is brought to us by some people and we are not sure whether the name of Allah has been mentioned on it or not (at the time of slaughtering the animals)." Allah's Messenger (sal) said (to them), "Mention the name of Allah and eat it."
(Bukhari)
Abu Bakr (rali) told us: Jareer told us, from Mughirah, from Abu Waa’il and Ibrahim, who said: When the Muslims came, they got some food from the Magians, their cheese and bread, and they ate and did not ask about that. The cheese was described to ‘Umar (rali) and he said: Mention the name of Allah over it and eat it.
(Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah-5/130 and Imam ibn Hibban graded it as an authentic hadith because the narrators are of Bukhari and Muslim)
Another important fact that needs to be understood is that in Islam alcohol is not haram. Only intoxicants are haram.
Aisha (rali) said,
that Allah's Messenger (sal) was asked about it, whereupon he said that everything that causes intoxication is forbidden
(Muslim)
Ibn Umar (rali) narrated, the prophet (sal) said,
"Every intoxicant is Khamr, and every intoxicant is prohibited."
(Muslim)
Alcoholic drinks are not haram. What is haram in Islam the the consumption of intoxicants. Anything that intoxicates is what is haram and not alcohol. Kosher foods containing alcohol in not at all haram. Fruits such as bananas, oranges, grapes and many others contain alcohol. If alcohol is haram then all of these fruits would have been made haram. Let us take vinegar which is used as a seasoning and a condiment. Vinegar contains alcohol and even the prophet (sal) ate vinegar.
Jabir bin Abdullah (rali) reported that Allah's Apostle (sal) asked his family for condiment. They (the members of his household) said:
"We have nothing with us but vinegar. He asked for it, he began to eat it, and then said: Vinegar is a good condiment, vinegar is a good condiment."
(Muslim)
Vinegar is made out if ethanol alcohol and if alcohol was haram then the prophet (sal) wouldn't have eaten or said well about vinegar. What is haram is what intoxicates your mind and if you are sure that a particular kosher food item contains wine or any other intoxicant then leave it ut if you are doubtful then say Allah's name over it and eat it.
Conclusion
Islam unlike other religions does not forbid something without facilitating ease for it. Kosher is similar to the Islamic dietary laws and although there are fundamental differences between the two dietary laws eating from the food of the people of the book be it sacrificed animals or any other food is halal. Kosher is far stricter than the Islamic dietary laws but what needs to be understood is that a Muslim can eat kosher food and fussing or boycotting is against the teachings of Islam and doing so will only bring more hardships to the individual and nothing else. Overburdening oneself on being choosy on food is extremism that Islam has forbidden.
Abu Hurayrah (rali) narrated,
“Religion is easy, and no one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be unable to continue in that way. So do not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded. Gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and afternoons and during the last hours of the night.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Mihjan ibn al-Adra (rali),
" I came with the Prophet (sal), and when we were at the door of the mosque, we saw a man who was praying. He said: “Do you think he is sincere?” I said: “O Prophet of Allah, this is So and so, he is one of the best of the people of Madeenah, or one of those who pray the most of the people of Madina.” He said: “Don't let him hear you lest you be doomed” – two or three times – “you are an ummah for whom I want ease.”
(Musnad Ahmad-5/32-and graded sahih by Imam Ahmed, Imam Tabarani in Al Mu’jam Kabir, Hadith-707 and Imam Haythami in Majmu uz Zawaid-Vol-4 page- 15)
May Allah Azza wa jal take away the harshness and extremism from the Muslim ummah and make the Muslims be easy going and merciful when practicing and preaching Islam towards themselves and the others.
C.J Ahmed