Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Mufti, I want to ask, what is the ruling of food or drinks that fly has fallen into?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The answer to this question will need to address several situations:
First
The fly just landed on the food or drink and then fly away again. In this situation, there is only the worry of virus and bacteria from the fly that may have contaminated the food or drink and affect one’s health. Thus, it is sunnah to not eat it. However, if there are visible traces of contamination from the fly, for example, if you can see the eggs of the fly, then it is prohibited to eat or serve the food for there is a great possibility of harm from eating the food.
Allah SWT state:
وَأَنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ
“And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining].”
Surah al-Baqarah (195)
Allah SWT state:
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.
Surah al-Nisa’ (29)
The Prophet PBUH said:
لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ
“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
Sunan Imam Ibn Majah (2340)
Hence, whoever eat or drink anything that is harmful to him is sinful and will be punished if he does not repent, for it will harm one’s body and result in sickness. The reason is, Allah SWT commanded us to maintain and protect our health and we are prohibited from harming ourselves. Refer al-Mu’tamad fi al-Fiqh al-Syafie (2/569)
However, if the fly falls into a liquid food or drink, then it is sunnah to submerge the fly and both its wings completely before throwing the fly. (Refer to al-Mu’tamad (1/49)). This is in accordance with the words of the Prophet PBUH mentioned in a hadith from Abu Hurairah RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا وَقَعَ الذُّبَابُ فِي شَرَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلْيَغْمِسْهُ ثُمَّ لِيَنْزِعْهُ، فَإِنَّ فِي إِحْدَى جَنَاحَيْهِ دَاءً وَالأُخْرَى شِفَاءً
“When a fly falls in the drink of one of you, he should fully dip it and then throw it away because there is a disease in one of its wings and cure in the other.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (3320)
Imam al-Syaukani said:
“The above hadith is evidence that a small amount of liquid is not considered as najis (impure) when a small insect (that do not have flowing blood) falls into it and died. This is explained in a hadith where the Prophet PBUH found dead fly and beetle in his food and the Prophet PBUH commanded to throw them away, then he recited bismillah and ate (the food). The wisdom of submerging the whole body of the fly in the food or drink is so that both harm and cure meet cancelling the harm.” Refer to Nail al-Autar (1/77)
Second
The fly that falls in the food or drink dies in it. If the fly dies in food, then the food is not considered as najis because a fly is included as a forgiven najis, for it is a type of insect that does not have flowing blood (not visible to the naked eye). It is sunnah if the fly dies in food or drink to submerge it first before throwing it away. The same applies to the food or drink, if there is a fear that the food or drink may harm anyone who eats or drinks it, then it should be thrown away and not eaten.
To conclude, Islam emphasizes the matters of food preparation in terms of the source, cleanliness, permissibility, prohibitions and the benefits and harms of it. Thus, every Muslim should take note on the issues of the cleanliness of food and not be careless that it is mixed with flies. Although it is not considered as najis, if it harms anyone who eats it, then it is prohibited to eat or serve it. Let’s ensure all our food are halalan toyyiban (permissible and good).
Wallahua’lam.