QUESTION:
I know a person who strongly believes “only on the basis of Quraan and reliable Ahaadith from Bukhari and Muslim Sharif’, that when a Brother feeds us Haraam meat, then that Brother is liable to Allah and we are absolved of wrongdoing and our Duaas will still be accepted.
Please enlighten me with regards to these Ahaadith, and the incident of Hajjaj who fed the pious Ulama Haraam in order to gain control over them.
Is this a ploy of Shaytaan to block our Duaas and Allah’s rewards?
ANSWER:
We live in a world of cause and effect, thus everything that we do or say has a consequence. Similarly, the food that we consume has an impact on our actions. Consuming pure and Halaal food enables one to carry out good actions, whilst consuming Haraam and doubtful food inclines one towards evil and sin. Consider the following incident:
Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu owned a slave who would earn for him. One night, the slave presented some food before Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu which he consumed. Seeing this, the slave surprisingly asked, “What is the matter? You normally ask me every night how I earned the wealth. Why have you not asked me tonight?”
Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu replied, “I was overcome by extreme hunger. Now do inform me how you received this food?” The slave answered, “I was a fortune-teller before becoming a Muslim. There were some people who employed my expertise then,and had promised to pay me later. I happened to pass by them today as they celebrated a marriage ceremony, and they gave me this food. “Do you wish to destroy me?” Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu exclaimed. He then tried to vomit out the morsel he had swallowed but could not do so because his stomach had been empty. Somebody suggested to him to try to vomit after taking water to his fill. He therefore sent for a cup of water and kept on taking water and forcing it out until the morsel was finally forced out. Somebody remarked, “May Allah Ta’ala have mercy on you! You put yourself through so much trouble for a single morsel.” His reply was, “I would have thrust it out even if I had to lose my life because I heard Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam saying that Jahannam is best for the flesh that is nourished by Haraam. I therefore feared that any portion of my body should receive nourishment from it.”
He further said, I heard Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam mention:
كل لحم نبت من حرام فالنار أولى به
“Every flesh that grows from Haraam, then the fire (of Jahannum) is more worthy of it.” [Saheeh Bukhari #3842]
It is quite evident from the above incident that Hadrat Abu Bakr Radiallahu Anhu understood well that by consuming the food, there were repercussions that would adversely affect him. Hence, he vomited out all the food that he consumed and did not rely on stating that his slave was responsible for feeding him with Haraam. The example of Haraam is like that of poison; it will destroy a person whether he consumes it knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally, or unintentionally. This above narration is recorded in Bukhari Sharif. [Re:- Fadhaa’il-e-Aamaal Pg.68 – Stories of the Sahaabah]
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : يا أيها الناس إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباً وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين، فقال تعالى: يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيباب واعلموا صالحاً، وقال تعالى: يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم ثم ذكر الرجل يطيل السفر أشعث أغبر يمد يديه إلى السماء : يا رب يارب، ومطعمه حرام، ومشربه حرام، وملبسه حرام، وغذي بالحرام فأنى يستجاب لذلك؟ (صحيح مسلم #1015)
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “Almighty Allah is Pure and only accepts that which is pure. And verily Allah has commanded the believers that which He has commanded the Messengers. Allah Ta’ala states: “O Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat (pure and wholesome) and perform righteous deeds.” Allah Ta’ala states: “O you who believe! Eat of the pure (lawful things) that We have provided you.” Then Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam mentioned a person who undertakes a lengthy journey due to which he is disheveled and dusty. He spreads out his hands towards the sky saying “O Rabb! O Rabb!” whereas his food is Haraam, his drink is Haraam, his clothing is Haraam, and he has been nourished with Haram, so how will his Dua be answered? [Muslim]
There are several narrations that can be cited which proves the negative consequence of consuming Haraam or doubtful food.
Furthermore, there is no doubt that the person who has fed one Haraam food will be liable in the court of Allah, but the one who ate it will also be harmed, as the Mustajaab-ut-Dawaat of Kufa were harmed when they were fed Haraam by Hajjaaj (that their Duas were no longer granted) which you have indicated towards in your query. In conclusion, you are correct by saying that the consumption of Haraam is preventing our Duas from being accepted.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: – 21 Rabi ul Aakhir 1445 / 06 November 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
