Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Cross-contamination in restaurants, fast-food joints, etc.

· 29 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1436 AH1 min readFatwa 34210English

Question

I went to dunkin donuts today and ordered a bagel with cream cheese. The worker held bacon with her hands with gloves on and she made my sandwich without changing her gloves. Is it permissible for me to eat my bagel because she held it with the gloves which held bacon?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

A Muslim should exercise extreme precaution in consuming Halal.[1] He should never eat in places where Haram is served[2] due to the possibility of cross contamination. If bacon is served in Dunkin Donuts, the possibility of cross contamination in the very preparation of the cheese bagel through the use of utensils etc. cannot be ruled out. The issue is not only about the worker holding the bagel with the same gloves she had the bacon.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Abdullah ibn Mohammed Aijaz

Student Darul Iftaa
Baltimore, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[1] سنن الدارمي (1/ 264)

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ حُرَيْثِ بْنِ ظُهَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: أَتَى عَلَيْنَا زَمَانٌ لَسْنَا نَقْضِي وَلَسْنَا هُنَالِكَ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ قَدَّرَ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ أَنْ قَدْ بَلَغْنَا مَا تَرَوْنَ، «فَمَنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ قَضَاءٌ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ، فَلْيَقْضِ فِيهِ بِمَا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَإِنْ جَاءَهُ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، فَلْيَقْضِ بِمَا قَضَى بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَإِنْ جَاءَهُ مَا لَيْسَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، وَلَمْ يَقْضِ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلْيَقْضِ بِمَا قَضَى بِهِ الصَّالِحُونَ، وَلَا يَقُلْ إِنِّي أَخَافُ، وَإِنِّي أُرَى، فَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ، وَالْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَةٌ، فَدَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لَا يَرِيبُكَ»

سنن الترمذي ت بشار (4/ 249)

قُلْتُ لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ: مَا حَفِظْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: حَفِظْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: دَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لاَ يَرِيبُكَ،

مختصر صحيح الإمام البخاري (1/ 36)

عن النعمان بن بشيرقال: سمعتُ رسولَ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يقول: " الحَلالُ بين، والحرامُ بين

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ حَلَـٰلاً۬ طَيِّبً۬ا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ

O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and pure on the earth, and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitân. Verily, he is an open enemy to you. (Surah Baqarah: Ayah: 168)

[2] سنن الترمذي ت بشار (4/ 410)

حَدَّثَنَا القَاسِمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ الكُوفِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُصْعَبُ بْنُ الْمِقْدَامِ، عَنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ لَيْثِ بْنِ أَبِي سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ طَاوُوسٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يَدْخُلِ الحَمَّامَ بِغَيْرِ إِزَارٍ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُدْخِلْ حَلِيلَتَهُ الحَمَّامَ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يَجْلِسْ عَلَى مَائِدَةٍ يُدَارُ عَلَيْهَا بِالخَمْرِ

Answered by
Abdullah ibn Mohammed Aijaz
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/34210
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-34210

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