Question 89 : Assalaamu ‘alaykum dear Shaikhs,

One brother ate ham by mistake. As soon as he realised he stopped and tried to vomit it out but couldn’t. He feels very bad and asked what he should do.

Answer: Walaikumussalam Br Ismail Ibn Ahmed

So long as it was a genuine mistake, Allah does not take one to account for it, as the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Indeed Allah pardons for my Ummah the mistake, forgeting and that which they were forced to do.” Sunan Kubra of Bayhaqi and Albani classed it as Sahih.

إنَّ اللهَ تعالى وضع عن أُمَّتي الخطأَ ، و النسيانَ ، و ما اسْتُكرِهوا عليه

Moreover feeling genuinely bad for it is a sign of taqwa and Iman.

What is also important though are two remaining points:

(1). Ensure that the person did not do haraam out of more of a negligence than not knowong in case of this was the case; and reflect on what – if any – easy going attitude with haraam may have led to them eating it and not ensuring enough that there is haraaam in the food, in case if this occured though this may not have occured at all, and (2) try to resolve mentally to avoid this next time and be more cautious.

Furthermore, as we know Abu Bakr (r.a) tried to vomit out food that he once ate unknowingly that was given to him by a person who got it via haraam way. Anu Bakr tried to vomit it out from extra love of pleasing Allah and care not to displease Allah. So this brother trying to vomit it out seems to be a sign of Iman and if he did not attempt or succeed in vomiting it out then there is no blame so long as it was a genuine mistake.

Allah knows best and we thank Allah for giving us the guidance to know the haraam that is harmful, alhamdulillah. And may Allah give us success to live and die away from haraam and be blessed with halaal always, ameen.