Question

As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu -llāhi wa-barakātuh,

A person tries to adhere to Sunnah to the best of his ability, he is cautious and careful when consuming food and yet inadvertently, by mistake and in error consumes a food item which has a Haram ingredient.This can happen because another Muslim told him that item was Halal or a mistake was made.

It is a genuine mistake, unintentional and despite best human efforts and endevaour.

Can you please tell me the evidence that their acts of worship or Duas will not be accepted when Allah Ta'ala is Merciful and as a special blessing for the Ummati of Rasul-ullah ﷺ their mistakes and unintentional errors are forgiven by Allah Ta'ala?

Is the following Hadeeth applicable to someone who due to a genuine mistake, unintentionally and despite best human efforts and endevaour consumed Haram:

Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "O you people! Indeed Allah is Tayyib (good) and he does not accept but what is good. And indeed Allah ordered the believers with what He ordered the Messengers. He (ﷺ) said: 'O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous deeds. Verily I am well acquainted with what you do (23:51).' And He said: 'O you who believe! Eat from the good things We have provided you (2:172).' He said: "And he mentioned a man: 'Who is undertaking a long journey, whose hair is dishevelled and he is covered with dust. He raises his hands to the heavens and says: "O Lord! O Lord!" Yet his food is from the unlawful, his drink is from the unlawful, his clothing is from the unlawful, and he was nourished by the unlawful. So how can that be accepted?'" [Muslim]

Answer

​Waʿalaykum Salām wa Raḥmat Allāh wa Barakātu-h.

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

By rule, there is no sin in consuming haram unintentionally or by mistake - after due diligence. The hadith in reference is in regard to intentionally consuming haram or not observing the necessary precautions. It is our duty to continue supplicating Allah and to hope for His acceptance. It should be noted that haram food is like poison for spiritual health. Poison leaves its evil effect(s) even if it is consumed unknowingly - except those whom Allah protects. That is why Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) purposely vomited food that was purchased with impure money which he had unknowingly consumed.[i]     

And Allah knows best.

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[i] Muḥammad b. Ismāʿīl al-Bukhārī, “Kitāb Faḍāʾil al-Ṣaḥābah, Bāb Ayyām al-Jāhiliyyah,” in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 5th ed. ed. Muṣṭafā Dīb al-Baghā (Damascus: Dār al-Yamāmah and Dār Ibn Kathīr, 1414/1993), 3:395.

حدثنا إسماعيل: حدثني أخي، عن سليمان بن بلال، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم، عن القاسم بن محمد عن عائشة قالت كان لأبي بكر غلام يخرج له الخراج، وكان أبو بكر يأكل من خراجه، فجاء يوما بشيء فأكل منه أبو بكر، فقال له الغلام: تدري ما هذا؟ فقال أبو بكر: وما هو؟ قال: كنت تكهنت لإنسان في الجاهلية، وما أحسن الكهانة، إلا أني خدعته، فلقيني فأعطاني بذلك، فهذا الذي أكلت منه، فأدخل أبو بكر يده، فقاء كل شيء في بطنه

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