Fatwa

Eating with barelwi/ghosia

Question

Assalamualaikum ww

Can one eat at the house of a ghosia/barelwi or eat with someone who is a ghosia/barelwi?

Answer

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

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

Given the fact that we do not consider the Barelwi/Ghosia to be kaafir, it will remain permissible to eat with them. However, it will still be disliked, and one should be cautious regarding doing so due to the following reasons:

1. It is known that some people from this sect cite the name of their saint together with the name of Allah when slaughtering their animals. If this is true, eating such meat is Haram.
2. We consider this sect to be deviated and on Bid’ah. A true Muslim ought to distance himself from such people.
3. One who is not strong in his own faith may be influenced by their misguided beliefs.
4. A true Muslim should show his disapproval of their misguided beliefs by disassociating with them.

As such, one should avoid eating with them. If one wishes to be diplomatic, one may excuse himself from such invitations and avoid confrontation.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Bilal Pandor

Concurred by
Mufti Muhammad Patel

Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah
Lusaka, Zambia

www.daruliftaazambia.com