A difference of opinion exists among jurists concerning the meat of animals slaughtered by the Zoroastrians or Parsees (Majus). The majority forbids the eating of it because they are polytheists, while others say that it is halal because the Prophet (peace be on him) said, "Treat them as you treat the People of the Book." (Reported by Malik and al-Shafi'i. What comes at the end of this hadith, "Do not marry their women nor eat their meat," is not considered authentic by the compilers of Ahadith.)

The Prophet (peace be on him) accepted jizyah from the Zoroastrians of Hajar. (Reported by al-Bukhari and others.) In the chapter on slaughtering in Ibn Hazm's book, Al-Muhalla, (Vol. 7, p. 456.) the author says, "They are also a People of the Book; hence all the rules related to the People of the Book apply to them." (Ibn Hazm's opinion undoubtedly carries great weight. He was very meticulous in applying the texts of the Qur'an and Ahadith, as well as being knowledgeable concerning the history of nations and their customs. Al-Baghdadi, in his book Al-Farq Bayn al-Firaq, states: "The Magians (Zoroastrians) claim that Zoraster was a prophet" Some modern Islamic scholars who have conducted researches into ancient cultures, such as Abul Kalam Azad, support this view.) Likewise the Sabeans are classified by Abu Hanifah as belonging to the category of People of the Book. (Some researchers of our time have attempted to extend the circle of People of the Book to include idolatrous such as Hindus and Buddhists, but they are stretching the matter too far. See, for example, Tafsir al-Manar, vol. 6, in the interpretation of the ayah, "The food of those who were given the Scripture is permitted to you," in the chapter dealing with the food of idolatrous and marriage to their women.)