Partaking of food prepared by Hindus at the time of Diwali
Q: Does Mufti saab approve of the below:
1. ON OFFERING DIWALI GREETINGS
Question: On the occasion of Diwali, is saying "Happy Diwali" to a Hindu haraam?
Ruling: Yes, this is haram. The reasoning is that offering such a greeting constitutes an acknowledgement and an expression of happiness that the individual is upon beliefs of shirk.
2. ON PARTAKING IN FOOD PROVIDED AT A WORKPLACE FOR DIWALI
Question: At my workplace, Hindus leave food on a common table to share their joy for Diwali. Is it permissible to go to the table and take this food?
Ruling: The act of going to take the food is haraam. This voluntary action is interpreted as an endorsement of, and happiness for, the shirk associated with the festival, analogous to offering Diwali greetings.
However, the consumption of the food itself is a separate matter and is not inherently haraam, provided two conditions are met:
· The food was not sacrificed to a false deity.
· The ingredients of the food are not inherently impermissible (e.g., containing alcohol or pork).
If either of these conditions is violated (the food was sacrificed or contains haraam ingredients), then both the act of taking it and its consumption become haraam.
3. ON ACCEPTING FOOD DIRECTLY OFFERED BY A HINDU FOR DIWALI
Question: If a Hindu brings food to me directly out of happiness for Diwali and I accept it, would this be haraam?
Ruling: The permissibility in this scenario depends on your intention and the nature of the food. There are three potential situations:
· Scenario A: Your intention is not in reverence to Diwali, but simply to accept an offer of food. In this case, the act of accepting and eating the food is not haraam, provided the food itself is permissible (not sacrificed to a false deity and containing no haraam ingredients). You are not held responsible for the giver's intention.
· Scenario B: Your intention is not to revere Diwali, but the food itself is haraam (either because it was sacrificed to a false deity or contains haraam ingredients). In this case, both accepting and consuming the food is haraam.
· Scenario C: Your intention is to revere or participate in the Diwali celebration by accepting the food. In this case, the act of acceptance is haraam, regardless of whether the food itself is technically halal.