Some non-Muslims in my country who worship deities other than Allah have a traditional custom that whenever a person dies they kill a cow or a sheep or any other animal. After killing it, they distribute its meat among some Muslims who live around them. But those Muslims refuse to accept it, saying it is unlawful. So they asked Muslims to accept a cow and slaughter it Islamically, so it will become a charitable gift on behalf of the dead person. Is it permissible for us to take that cow and slaughter it and distribute its meat to Muslims? Would accepting a cow on our part be considered participating in their customs? A – Worshiping beings other than Allah in terms of making vows or seeking aid from deities other than Allah, from dead, absent people, trees, or the like constitutes Shirk. Those who refused to take the meat of the cows that are slaughtered by those who do not worship Allah, for their dead, did the right thing. There is no harm in taking live cows to be slaughtered according to the Islamic method, without the intention of slaughtering it at the time of the death of that person. This is not considered taking part in their innovation. Furthermore, It should not be intended as an act of charity on behalf of the dead person who worshiped anyone other than Allah. If the slaughter and its timing is intended to be on the death of that person, and to join the procession of the funeral, then it would not be permissible to accept such an animal, because it will be considered taking part in their innovation. – Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Verdicts; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol. 1, p. 33 __
