['Aalim Network QR] People of the Book (Ahlul Kitab)

[Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>]

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|     In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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The following question was kindly answered by Moulana Rizvi.

QUESTION:

According to the fatawa of Assayyed AL-Ka'ed Al-Khamenaei(Hafezahoo ALLAH):

 Ahlul-Kitab (believers who follows a book) are najseen(not taher) or not??
 Other Koffar(those who don't follow a holy book are they najeseen or not???
 and consequently, can a Shia eats from their food which doesn't contain meat?
 P.S. it will be nice if other points of views of other mujtahids could be
 stated.

ANSWER:

The Ahlul Kitab (the Jews and the Christians) are considered tahir (pak)
according to the majority of the present grand mujtahids (i.e., Ayatullahs
Fazil Lankarani, Nasir Makarim Shirazi, Ali Sistani and Muhammad Ruhani).
As for the views of the Leader of the Islamic Republic, Assayyid
Al-Khamenaei, I have not yet received his risala; as soon as I found out
his view on this issue, it will be posted on the ABDG list for the benefit
of all members. 

Yours in Islam,

Sayyid M. Rizvi