# Is non-halal chicken and beef actually haram?

*Mufti Abu Layth on non-dhabiha meat and why he still advocates halal*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/w6tqwuuumcg/s/23/
- Date: 2020-10-27 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #188 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (2:31:27–2:35:59)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TqWuUumCg&t=9087s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/w6tqwuuumcg/

**Topics:** Food and drink

**Question as asked:** According to the Quran there is no such thing as dhabiha, meaning all forms of chicken and beef are halal, because it sounds pretty backwards, right?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth says eating non-dhabiha meat is not haram, since its original purpose has gone, but he advocates halal meat for the sake of identity.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says he does not feel it would be haram if a person ate non-dhabiha meat, but that because of identity Muslims should stick to halal meat.

**Evidence, his words at 2:32:52:** “So if a person ate it, I I don't feel it would be haram, but I feel because of the identity factor, we should stick to halal meat.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6TqWuUumCg&t=9172s)

## Longer summary

A viewer asks whether, since the Quran has no notion of dhabiha, all chicken and beef are halal. Mufti Abu Layth says the primary purpose of the slaughter rules was to distinguish Muslims from those making offerings to pagan gods, which has largely disappeared, while the secondary purpose, identity, remains. So, Mufti says, he does not feel eating non-dhabiha meat would be haram, for example when travelling, but because of identity Muslims should stick to halal meat, which he personally does and advocates. He refers viewers to his detailed clip, then jokes about a comment on sex before marriage.

## Sources and names cited

- dhabiha
- halal

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:31:27–2:35:59)

[2:31:26] It was asked a while ago." I'm not sure what it was. I don't know if I can see it here. Let's see. Um saying has followed. Uh can I see anything here? Okay. According to the Quran, there's no such thing as the right meaning all forms of chicken and beef are halal because it sounds pretty backwards, right?

[2:31:57] I have a very detailed clip on um on the bame and what are my thoughts on it and it was more about creating [clears throat] [snorts] it was more about demarcating and creating a difference between those who make these offerings to pagan gods.

[2:32:23] So Muslims won't today in the world that doesn't really happen and Muslims pretty much along with Jewish people are very few in the world that still make offerings of their food uh as in sacrifice the meat. So I have spoken about the the nature of halal meat that it primary purpose was the differentiation which has dissipated today.

[2:32:52] um and isn't really there generally speaking and the secondary purpose was identity which is still there. So therefore I do support halal I do advocate for that but I do understand that because most of the other meat isn't the primary purpose isn't there. So if a person ate it, I I don't feel it would be haram, but I feel because of the identity factor, we should stick to halal meat.

[2:33:28] Okay. So for the most part, generally I would personally do that. But if you were somewhere you're traveling or you're doing something and you know it's you ate the other meat let's say non the behame I don't feel it would be haram because the primary factor has disappeared the secondary identity factor remains which I still feel is an important factor uh so I do support it uh and I am in favor of it and I do advocate it I hope that helps but I've got a more detailed very detailed elaborate clip I'll try and make sure it is a clip if it isn't

[2:34:07] cool. Um, all right. So, somebody says, "Is it true?" Somebody say, [laughter] you see, the thing is that I've got a detailed clip.

[2:34:36] If you watch that, it makes more sense rather than here. I'm not doing justice to the topic, but I go into it in detail. I do advocate for it. I do say I do support halal meat. I do endorse that. That's what we get I get at home. I don't uh go for nonab. But I'm just saying that the primary factor has disappeared today.

[2:35:02] So yeah. So I am clearly in support of it, but I'm just saying that I don't think it's uh somebody's speaking about sex before marriage. We have condoms today.

[2:35:26] [laughter] This is like It sounds more like one of those ads that we have. [laughter] Are you doing haram? [laughter] [laughter] So yeah.

[2:35:58] Mhm. What's going down people? Boycott French hairstyles. What the hell is that about? I don't know what that is. What is a French hairstyle? I don't even understand what the hell that means. Oh, somebody had asked about sing. What do I think about sing now? What do we understand by sing? I'm not sure if I understand the word the way some people understand it. I understand it to mean basically guys who are like doormats [laughter] to to girls.

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment w6TqWuUumCg/s/23. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/w6tqwuuumcg/s/23/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.