Original author: Imam Yahya Momla
Is it Halal to eat at Restaurants serving Alcohol? Eating where alcohol is served Muslims in the West face a conundrum of sorts; after verifying that a particular restaurant serves halal meat, should one still eat there if alcohol is also served at the same restaurant? Allow me to first state the (sometimes not-so) obvious. The mere presence of alcohol does not render an otherwise halal food haram. Therefore, it is factually incorrect to say that someone who eats at a restaurant that serves alcohol, has consumed haram. The scholars differed in their opinions as to the ruling concerning partaking in a meal where alcohol is present, with opinions ranging from makrūh (undesirable/disliked) to harām. The hadīth below is quoted in this regard. The hadīth has been declared authentic.قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : ” من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فلا يقعد على مائدة يشرب عليها الخمر ” [أحمد]Anyone who believes in Allah and the final day should not sit at a spread where alcohol is being consumed.
Takeaways
My humble advice/opinion, keeping all of the above in mind.
- If you have a choice, you are best to avoid restaurants that serve alcohol.
- If you do not have a choice (work meeting, only viable option), inform your colleagues that you do not drink and would appreciate if they also did not drink while with you. Sit at a table where no alcohol is present. Leave the gathering once you have completed the task at hand.
- Refrain from casting judgement on those who do eat at such establishments.
[Disclaimer]The opinion/advice expressed in this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of any organization I am affiliated with.
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