and Ikrima, al-Hasan ibn Muhammad (3), Ata, Mujahid, Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Layla, Sa'id ibn Jubayr, Murra al-Hamdani (4), al-Zuhri, Malik, al-Thawri, al-Shafi'i, and the scholars of the school of opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y). Ahmad said: I do not know of anyone who stated the contrary, unless it be an innovator. This is because Allah the Exalted said: "And the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you" (5). The implication of this is the prohibition of the food of others among the disbelievers. Furthermore, they have no Scripture, so their slaughtered animals are not lawful, like those of the idolaters. Imam Ahmad narrated with his chain of transmission from Qays ibn Sakan al-Asadi, who said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "You have settled in Persia among the Nabat, so if you buy meat, if it is from a Jew or a Christian, then eat, but if it is (6) the slaughtered animal of a Magian, then do not eat" (7). Furthermore, their disbelief, combined with the fact that they are not people of the Scripture, necessitates the prohibition of their slaughtered animals and their women, by analogy to the rest of the disbelievers who are not people of the Scripture. Jizya is taken from them because the suspicion of having a Scripture necessitates the prohibition of shedding their blood. Since the lack of Scripture is given precedence in the prohibition of shedding their blood, it must also be given precedence in the prohibition of their slaughtered animals and women, as a precaution (8) for the prohibition in both cases. Moreover, this is a consensus, for it is the opinion of those we have named, and there is no dissenter among them in their era nor in the generations following them, except for a report from Sa'id, from whom the opposite has also been narrated. There is no disagreement regarding the permissibility of what they hunt of fish. It was narrated from al-Hasan al-Basri that he said: I saw seventy of the Companions eating the game of a Magian [from fish], and nothing of that caused them any hesitation (10) in their hearts. It was narrated by Sa'id ibn
(3) Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib; his father is known as Ibn al-Hanafiyya. He narrated from his father, Ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayra, and others. He was among the witty and virtuous men of the Banu Hashim, and he was trustworthy. He died in the year 99 or 100 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 2/320, 321. (4) Murra ibn Sharahil al-Hamdani, known as Murra al-Tayyib and Murra al-Khayr, having earned the title for his devotion. He was a Tabi'i who died in the time of al-Hajjaj after the battle of Dayr al-Jamajim. It is also said he died in the year 76 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 10/88, 89. (5) Surah al-Ma'ida 5. (6) In (M): "kanat". (7) We have not found it within the materials at our disposal. (8) In (B): "wa-htiyatan". (9) Omitted from (A). (10) In (M): "yakhtaliju".
