Is it permissible to eat chicken meat from Christian markets in America?
The default ruling regarding slaughtered animals is prohibition unless their permissibility is known. Lawful slaughter (dhakat shar'iyyah) is performed by cutting the trachea and the two jugular veins, and the one performing the slaughter must be a Muslim or a person of the Book. If news becomes widespread that chicken is not slaughtered in a lawful manner, then it is obligatory to be cautious and refrain from eating it. The preponderant opinion is that the default ruling for slaughtered animals is prohibition, except for what is slaughtered according to the lawful method. If a carrion is mixed with a lawfully slaughtered animal, then neither should be eaten. The European Council for Fatwa and Research has ruled against the permissibility of consuming poultry and beef in the West due to their not being slaughtered in a lawful manner, whereas sheep and young calves are slaughtered in a way that does not violate Islamic law.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/103838