Question

Assalamu Alaykum

If we receive a box of chocolates as a gift which contains alcohol from a non muslim but we didn’t know at the time the gift was given, or we receive another gift which is haraam for us to consume, do we have to dispose of the food, or can we gift it to a non-Muslim?

Also, if we receive a gift which is haraam but we know at the time, do we refuse the gift or accept the gift out of good manners?

Answer

The general principle is that whatever is unlawful to take is also unlawful to give. Hence, if an item is unlawful to consume, it will also be unlawful to feed or gift it to another person. In fact, the jurists have mentioned that will even be unlawful to feed it to an animal. Some scholars have mentioned that if a person was to leave the food somewhere (with the intention of disposing of it) and someone takes the food from there, then the individual who left it will not have given it or fed it to another person. Therefore, if a person adopts this strategy then it would be allowed.

If at the time of receiving the gift a person is aware of it being haram then they cannot accept the gift. They should explain to the person why they are not accepting the gift in a graceful and appreciative manner. This will also serve as a form of da’wah and if done in the correct manner will not cause offence.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 448)
وحرم قليلها وكثيرها) بالإجماع (لعينها) أي لذاتها وفي قوله تعالى: – {إنما الخمر والميسر} [المائدة: 90]- الآية عشر دلائل على حرمتها مبسوطة في المجتبى وغيره (وهي نجسة نجاسة مغلظة كالبول ويكفر مستحلها وسقط تقومها) في حق المسلم (لا ماليتها) في الأصح (وحرم الانتفاع بها) ولو لسقي دواب أو لطين أو نظر للتلهي، أو دواء أو دهن أو طعام أو غير ذلك إلا لتخليل أو لخوف عطش بقدر الضرورة فلو زاد فسكر حد مجتبى

قوله ولو لسقي دواب) قال بعض المشايخ لو قاد الدابة إلى الخمر لا بأس به، ولو نقل إلى الدابة يكره وكذا قالوا فيمن أراد تخليل الخمر ينبغي أن يحمل الخل إلى الخمر ولو عكس يكره وهو الصحيح تتارخانية (قوله أو لطين) أي لبل طين (قوله أو غير ذلك) كامتشاط المرأة بها ليزيد بريق شعرها أو الاكتحال بها

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel