Question:

What was As-Saduq’s view about the meat of the people of the Book?

Answer:

Abu Ja’far As-Saduq writes: “Do not eat the slaughtered meat of the one who does not belong to your religion of Islam and do not eat the slaughtered meat of the Jew, the Nazarene and the Zoroastrian unless you hear them mention the name of God on it. So if they mention the name of God on it, there is no problem in eating it, because the Exalted One says: “And do not eat of that on which the name of God has not been mentioned.” (6:121) And He says: “Eat of that about which the name of God is mentioned, if you believe in His signs.” (6:118) Also, there is no problem in eating of that which the women have slaughtered, if they mention the name of God. Ja’far As-Sadiq (a.) was questioned about the slaughtered of the Nazarene, whereupon he replied: “There is no problem with it.” They said: “They mention the name of the Messiah (a.) on it.” He said: “By the Messiah (a.) they meant God.” In a report the Imam (a.) forbade the eating of the slaughtered from the Zoroastrian.” [Al-Muqni’, pages 417 – 418]

قال الشيخ أبو جعفر ابن بابويه الصدوق رضي الله عنه: ولا تأكل ذبيحة من ليس على دينك في الإسلام, ولا تأكل ذبيحة اليهودي والنصراني والمجوسي إلا إذا سمعتهم يذكرون اسم الله عليها فإذا ذكروا اسم الله فلا بأس بأكلها, فان الله يقول ولا تأكلوا مما لم يذكر اسم الله عليه ويقول: فكلوا مما ذكر اسم الله عليه إن كنتم بآياته مؤمنين ولا بأس بذبيحة النساء إذا ذكرن اسم الله وسئل أبو عبد الله عليه السلام عن ذبائح النصارى, فقال: لا بأس بها, فقيل: فانهم يذكرون عليها المسيح عليه السلام, فقال: إنما أرادوا بالمسيح الله وقد نهى عليه السلام في خبر عن أكل ذبيحة المجوسي