Sharing food with non-Muslim friends and colleagues

Q: My question is regarding sharing food with non-Muslims. We live in India where majority of the people are of different faiths and religions. We are extremely careful about consuming halaal food. However, since we have colleagues and friends who are non-Muslims, we invite them over sometimes for food and even share food at work places. I wanted to know if there is anything wrong with that. And if yes, what is the extent of it?

A: You may show kindness, but not to the extent that you sit together and have meals and get close to them. Kindness is different and friendship is different.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ﴿المائدة: ٥١﴾

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿النساء: ١٤٤﴾

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)