Al-Ma'idah: (5) "This day [all] good foods have been made lawful for you..."
"And the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you."
It is said this refers to their slaughtered animals, and it is said it refers to all their foods. This applies equally to all Christians. It is narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he made an exception for the Christians of the Banu Taghlib, saying: "They are not upon Christianity, and they have taken nothing from it except the drinking of wine." Al-Shafi'i adopted this view.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that he was asked about the slaughtered animals of the Arab Christians, and he said: "There is no harm in it." This is the opinion of the generality of the Tabi'un (Successors), and Abu Hanifa and his companions adopted this view.
The ruling on the Sabians is the same as the ruling on the People of the Scripture according to Abu Hanifa. His two companions (Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani) said: They are two types; one type reads the Psalms and worships the angels, and one type does not read a scripture and worships the stars; these are not of the People of the Scripture.
As for the Magians (Zoroastrians), the Sunnah regarding them is the same as the People of the Scripture regarding the taking of jizya from them, but not the eating of their slaughtered animals or marrying their women.
It is narrated from Ibn al-Musayyib that he said: If a Muslim is ill and commands a Magian to mention the name of Allah and slaughter, there is no harm in it. Abu Thawr said: Even if he commands him to do so while in health, there is no harm, though he has done wrong.
"And your food is lawful for them."
There is no blame upon you for feeding them, for if the food of the believers were forbidden to them, it would not be permissible for you to feed them.
"And chaste women..."
Meaning free women or virtuous women. Specifying them is an encouragement for the believers to be selective regarding their offspring. The marriage of slave women who are Muslims is valid by consensus, as is the marriage of those among them who are not chaste. As for slave women who are People of the Scripture, according to Abu Hanifa, they are like Muslim women, but Al-Shafi'i disagreed with him. Ibn Umar did not consider the marriage of women from the People of the Scripture to be permissible, citing the verse: "And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe" (Al-Baqarah: 221), saying: "I know of no greater polytheism than a woman saying her Lord is Jesus." From 'Ata': "Allah has provided many Muslim women, and the concession was only for that day."
"...being chaste..."
Meaning virtuous.
"...and not those with secret lovers."
Meaning boyfriends/girlfriends. The term khadan (secret lover) applies to both male and female.
"And whoever denies the faith..."
Meaning the laws of Islam and what Allah has made lawful and forbidden.
