['Aalim Network QR] Food in Restaurants

["Akil M. Karim" <amk@io.org>]

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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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Salamun 'Alaykum

The following question about eating from restaurants are fast food 
stores was kindly provided by Dr. Takim.


Fee Amanillah,

Akil Karim
Acting Moderator for ABDG-A

---------- Forwarded message ----------

QUESTIONS:

Comment:  It has become very difficult these days to determine how much we
are required to investigate into the preparation of foods from restaurants
and other food services.

Question:  1. What is a Muslim's responsiblity in investigation of food
preparation.  For example, one orders PIZZA and asks that the cutter be
washed and food plate be fresh.  Yet there is the masaleh of the wet hand of
the KAFIR and the mixing of the utensils that are used to prepare the food.
Most pizza places do not use gloves in food preparation.  So if the cook
washes the cutter, now his hands are wet or if he dips his hand in tomatoes
his hands are wet, he next touches pork or other haram meats. After he
prepares the pizza ahead of yours he then touches your ingredients with his
NAJIS hands with NAJIS foods on it.  I am sure that you can see how this
might be extended to other companies like McDonalds, Burger King etc.  even
when ordering fish sandwiches at these places.  I have only seen Subway use
gloves as a practice to prepare there foods like tuna fish sandwiches.  Some
of these stores require you to request that they wear gloves.  Even ordering
pancakes or hashbrowns at Denny's or other places is a problem because they
use the same grill to make your food as they do the haram foods which
usually contain PIG FLESH.  This is a problem indeed.  Not only for me but
for many others as well.  I am sure of this.
If I am correct IMAM KHOMEINI says not to investigate too deep.  Also,
Ayatollah Khamenii says that the wet skin of the Ahleh Ketab is not Najis.
What is the opinion of the scholars on this issue?

2.  When alcohol is used on a utensil what is required for the utensil to
become PAK?
Also, if the alcohol is completely burned off of the utensil like FLAMBEY in
some restaurants, is the utensil still needing a special cleaning and is the
food najis even if the alcohol is burned off?

I hope that the questions are not too cumbersome.


ANSWERS:

salaamun 'Alaykum,

As far as the preparation of food in concerned, the ruling according to
Ayatullah Seestani is that the ahl al-KItab are paak, so if they touch the
food even with wet hands then there is no problem.- However, If YOU ARE SURE
THAT THEY TOUCH PORK WITH WET HANDs and then transfer the najasat to the
food you are eating then the food is najis for you to consume. If you are
not sure then you may consume the food. 

The same ruling will apply in preparation of food: that is, if you are sure
that the food you are consuming has been made in the same grill in which
pork was prepared e.g same oil, or prepared in such a way that najasat has
been transferred, then one may not consume such food. If you are doubtful
and are not sure then the food may be consumed.


See Ayatullah Seestani's Risala p. 18,  #107


According to Ayatullah Seestani, if a utensil contains alcohol, it can only
be made pak if it is washed 3 times even with runnning or kurr water.
 p. 26 #154-

Observing ihtiyat, it is better to clean the utensil 3 times if the alcohol
is burned off for fear of any trace of any najasat left over. Unfortunately,
I am not sure what Flambey means.


And God knows best

Wasalaam

Liyakatali Takim